Policy Briefs & Reports

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Visit to Bangladesh: Deepening Economic Cooperation and Development Assistance

Rani Mullen
Kailash K Prasad, Hemant Shivakumar, Kashyap Prasad

Centre for Policy Research & Indian Devleopment Cooperation Reseacrh

June 13, 2015

Bangladesh as a neihboring country holds crucial geostrategic and economic significance for India. It also serves well with India’s model of ‘South-South’ development cooperation and provides ample support to India’s ‘Act East Policy’. Importantly, stronger ties with Bangladesh helps India to promote greater stability in its immediate neighborhood and reap economic benefits especially for its landlocked northeastern region, from enhaned connectivity with East Asia. With Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2015 visit to Dhaka, India looks to further deepen its bilateral ties with its north eastern neighbor through boosting of credit lines based development cooperation, private sector investment, connectivity as well as bilateral trade ties. However, the main highlight of the visit is the ratification of the long-pending India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) which is a crucial impetus towards further stregthening of India-Bangladesh bilateral relationship. Taking these factors into consideration, through this piece we have tried to take a much closer look on India’s ties with Bangladesh with a particular focus on the economic potential of the discussions held and agreements signed signed during PM Modi’s visit to Dhaka.