{"id":121684,"date":"2022-01-01T18:15:06","date_gmt":"2022-01-02T01:15:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=121684"},"modified":"2022-01-01T18:15:06","modified_gmt":"2022-01-02T01:15:06","slug":"sri-lanka-india-bangladesh-as-a-south-asian-triumvirate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2022\/01\/01\/sri-lanka-india-bangladesh-as-a-south-asian-triumvirate\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka-India-Bangladesh As A South Asian Triumvirate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jubeda Chowdhury<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Bangladesh-India bilateral relations are a\nrole model in the world in terms of relations among neighboring countries. They\nare deep and have evolved over time. India is seen as Bangladesh\u2019s true friend.\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On December 6, 1971, India granted\ndiplomatic recognition to Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign country.\nThe same day, Bhutan recognized Bangladesh. India has stood by Bangladesh since\nthe Liberation War started. It provided shelter and food to one crore refugees,\ntraining and arms to the freedom fighters and all assistance to the Bangladesh\ngovernment-in-exile. After India’s recognition, Pakistan was quickly defeated\nin a joint offensive by the Mukti Bahini, the Bengali independence militia, and\nIndian forces on December 16. The date is very important for Bangladesh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This relationship has expanded in many\ndifferent ways in a spirit of friendship, understanding and mutual respect.\nUnder the visionary leaderships of Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India and\nSheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, the two countries have become partners in a\n“shonali adhyaya” (golden chapter).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka has a special place in Indian\nhearts, given the time-tested bonds, going back almost to the very beginning of\nrecorded history in the subcontinent. Their relationship is built upon the\nstrong foundations of a shared cultural and socio-economic heritage and\nextensive people-to-people interactions over millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

India and Sri Lanka enjoy a vibrant and\ngrowing economic and commercial partnership, which has witnessed considerable\nexpansion over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entry into force of the India-Sri Lanka\nFree Trade Agreement (ISFTA) in 2000 contributed significantly towards the\nexpansion of trade between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic ties between the two nations also\ninclude a flourishing development partnership that encompasses areas such as\ninfrastructure, connectivity, transportation, housing, health, livelihood and\nrehabilitation, education, and industrial development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trade<\/p>\n\n\n\n

India has traditionally been among Sri\nLanka\u2019s largest trade partners and Sri Lanka remains among the largest trade\npartners of India in the SAARC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2020, India was Sri Lanka\u2019s 2nd<\/sup>\nlargest trading partner with the bilateral merchandise trade amounting to about\nUSD $ 3.6 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lankan exports to India have increased\nsubstantially since 2000 when ISLFTA came into force and more than 60% of Sri\nLanka\u2019s total exports to India over the past few years have used the ISFTA\nbenefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, only about 5% of India\u2019s\ntotal exports to Sri Lanka in the past few years have used the ISFTA\nprovisions, thereby indicating their overall competitiveness in the Sri Lankan\nmarket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and\nBangladesh were formally established in 1972 and the Sri Lanka High Commission\nin Bangladesh was set up in June 1979.In addition to the Mission in Dhaka, an\nHonorary Consul functions from Chittagong. All Sri Lanka Heads of States and\nGovernments since 1979 have made official visit to Bangladesh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building on the great traditional\nfriendship the two nations are able to work closely through the Bay of Bengal\nInitiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to\nunleash closer cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and\nSri Lanka have grown from strength to strength over the period through\nimpressive cooperation in political, economic, cultural, educational and\ndefense grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Successive Governments in both countries\nhave leveraged their persistent efforts for enhancing this relationship. What\nwe observe, over the decades, both neighboring South Asian nations have\nundergone remarkable foreign policy changes and have immense scope to deepen\nthis multifaceted close friendship to flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangladesh celebrates the birth centenary\nof the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and 50 years of\nindependence. This year is also the 50th year of Bangladesh-India diplomatic\nrelations. On December 6, for the first time, Bangladesh and India celebrated \u2018Friendship\nDay\u2019 in 16 countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foundation of ties<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Indira Gandhi\nlaid the foundation of bilateral relations through a 25-year Friendship Treaty\nin 1972, which his daughter, Sheikh Hasina has consolidated and diversified.\nBangladesh has become an important partner of India due to its ‘Neighbours\nfirst’ policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the Treaty of Friendship, a trade\nagreement was signed in 1973 and the Mujib-Indira border agreement in 1974.\nAfter Mujibur Rahman\u2019s assassination in 1975, social, political, economic and\ncommercial relations between Bangladesh and India deteriorated. After 21 years,\nwhen the Awami League came to power, an atmosphere of trust and expectation was\ncreated again.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This led to the historic Ganges water\nagreement. After Sheikh Hasina returned to power in 2009, bilateral relations\nagain improved. Since Modi took power in 2014, the two Prime Ministers have\ntaken relations to a new height. The seven-year-old enclave exchange, maritime\ndemarcation and other unresolved issues began to be resolved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheikh Hasina has reiterated her commitment\nto further strengthen the mutual ties. The anniversary has given us an\nopportunity, she said, to think about the basis of the bilateral relations and\nthe way forward. Now it is necessary to focus on connectivity, trade, business\nand communications among the people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a tweet on Friendship Day, Modi said:\nTogether we are remembering and celebrating 50 years of friendship. I look\nforward to continuing to work with \u2026 Sheikh Hasina to broaden and deepen our\nties.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A year-long programme has been chalked out\nto celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Bangabandhu-Bapu\ndigital exhibitions are being held in different cities of the two countries.\nThe two leaders unveiled stamps commemorating Bangladesh-India friendship.\nExchange of visits of veterans of war, inspection of ships, sports events, and\ncultural and other programmes are being organized.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milestone year <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year will be significant for\nBangladesh and India. Modi visited Dhaka on March 26-27. Indian President Ram\nNath Kovind will decorate the closing ceremony of Victory Day. Sheikh Hasina\nmay be the Chief Guest on India\u2019s Republic Day.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revolutionary changes have been made in the\ncommunication system of the two countries to make the economy dynamic. Dhaka,\nKolkata and Khulna-Kolkata passenger train services and rail services for\ntransporting goods from Chilhati in Nilphamari to Haldibari and Dhaka-Siliguri\nin West Bengal and Dhaka-Kolkata, Dhaka-Agartala, Dhaka-Siliguri-Darjeeling bus\nservices have been introduced. In March, the Prime Ministers inaugurated the\nSabroom Bridge over the Feni river, which connects Ramgarh in Khagrachari to\nTripura. With the 1.9 km bridge, new business doors have been opened.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit\nand Trade (PIWTT) agreement, there are plans to connect the Sonamuri-Daudkandi\nroute of the Gumti river and the waterway from Dhulia-Godagari to Aricha on the\nPadma. Cargo transportation activities have been started from Chittagong port\nto Tripura. But some pending issues such as the Teesta water-sharing issue and\nkillings on the border should be resolved as soon as possible.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

India will provide training and technical\nassistance to Bangladesh through military experts.  India was the first\ncountry to provide free vaccines to Bangladesh to battle Covid-19. Amid a\nshortage, an Oxygen Express entered Bangladesh with 180 tonnes of oxygen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had said on February 8,\n1972 in Calcutta: India-Bangladesh friendship will remain intact forever. No\npower in the world can separate it. Occasionally some anti-independence,\nfundamentalist forces try to destroy the relations between the two countries.\nBut their efforts will not succeed. Because the basis of Bangladesh-India\nfriendly relations is trust and confidence. This relationship is written in the\nblood through the great liberation war.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh can show\nthe world how neighbouring countries can become all-weather friends. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jubeda Chowdhury Bangladesh-India bilateral relations are a role model in the world in terms of relations among neighboring countries. They are deep and have evolved over time. India is seen as Bangladesh\u2019s true friend.   On December 6, 1971, India granted diplomatic recognition to Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign country. The same day, Bhutan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-121684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forum"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121684"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121684\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}