For three days in June 2014 India’s External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, went on an official visit to Bangladesh. The visit underlined the importance being accorded by the new Fgovernment in New Delhi on strengthening the country’s relationship with all its immediate neighbours and, more specifically, showed New Delhi’s eagerness to revive its relations with Dhaka. After years of tardy progress, the bilateral relationship had got a boost with the landmark visits of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in January 2010 and the visit of Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in 2011. External Affairs Minister Swaraj’s visit gave the relationship an added push.

The timing of Mrs Swaraj’s visit was all the more crucial, occurring as it did when the relationship had seemingly lost its momentum. The Indian government had been blamed for “dragging its feet” over two critical issues on which there had been an initial agreement between the two nations: sharing of the Teesta river waters and issues related to demarcation of the land boundary. The task before the new government in New Delhi is clear: to ensure that the promises the two countries have made to each other are fulfilled. The new government must not only deliver on past agreements and promises, but also discover new avenues for cooperation. Bangladesh, on its part, must accommodate India’s concerns on illegal migration and border management.

This Issue Brief seeks to highlight key issues which the Narendra Modi government should prioritise. These include the Teesta Water-sharing Agreement, Land Boundary Agreement, Illegal Migration, Trade & Investment, Connectivity, Cattle Smuggling, Military Cooperation, and Energy Cooperation, It also suggests some additional steps that can be taken to strengthen India-Bangladesh relations.

• International Affairs
• Neighbourhood
• Indian Foreign Policy
• Defence and Security
• India
• Neighbourhood
• NEIGHBOURHOOD STUDIES
• STRATEGIC STUDIES

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