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Congress was slow to fully appreciate the possibilities in cooperation with the pro-India government in Dhaka. They finally came around to giving Dhaka $1 billion in credit, as an after thought but not much else.
The Modi machine has been different.......it seems to have accelerated the cooperation.
My only prayer is that whilst nations sign FTA's with their immediate neighbors....FIRST, India strangely is signing future FTA's with further away nations.
Bangladesh is India's largest trading partner in South Asia, and this fact should be reinforced with a FTA's between the two friends as soon as possible. A basic FTA's first, and a more sophisticated one later.
Other areas of cooperation are enormous which I have been meaning to address, and will do so soon.
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/fta-with-bangladesh-can-boost-trade-world-bank/article4214186.ece
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-12-17/news/35868911_1_fta-negotiations-bangladesh-bilateral-trade
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India-Bangladesh ratify historic land deal, Narendra Modi announces new $2 billion line of credit to Dhaka
By Times of India
India
has formalized the 40-year-old Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh
on Saturday during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Dhaka. This
will enable the two countries to exchange land enclaves in each other's
territory.
Foreign secretaries of India and Bangladesh signed
and exchanged the instruments of exchange in the presence of Prime
Minister Modi and and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
Parliament, a few weeks ago, unanimously approved a Constitution
Amendment Bill to give full effect to the Land Boundary Agreement of
1974 with Bangladesh and the related 2011 Protocol.
The pact is
aimed at the acquiring of territories by India and the transfer of
territories to Bangladesh through retaining of adverse possession in
pursuance of the 1974 agreement between the two nations.
AS IT HAPPENED: PM Modi in Bangladesh — Day 1
Assam, West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya all fall under the bill.
According to a joint census conducted by both the countries, there are
111 Bangladeshi enclaves in India that houses 37,369 people while 14,215
people have been residing at 55 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh.
The agreement with Bangladesh will mean exchange of a series of enclaves. Assam alone will have to hand over 250 acres.
Speaking at a joint briefing with his Bangladeshi counterpart, the
Prime Minister said, "The visit is at a historic moment. We have
resolved a question that has lingered since Independence. Our two
nations have a settled boundary. It will make our borders more secure
and people's life there more stable. Our Parliament's approval of Land
Boundary Agreement reflects the consensus in India on relations with
Bangladesh."
READ ALSO: Full text of PM Modi's joint statement in Dhaka
"We accepted the settlement of the maritime boundary last year. It is
evidence of the maturity of our ties and our shared commitment to
international rules. So, we stand at a moment of huge opportunity in our
relationship. Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina) and I recognize that."
"We will work together to harness the rich potential of our
relationship. And, we will address our challenges in a spirit of
friendship and from a position of mutual trust and confidence," Modi
said.
Modi also emphasized the importance of trade and commerce between the two countries.
In his statement he said, "Now, we are successful fellow travelers on
the road to development. Our growing cooperation is a picture of my
deeply held belief in the shared prosperity of neighbours. That is why
the future I dream for India is the future I wish for Bangladesh."
READ ALSO: Big gains from India-Bangladesh PMs' meet, CII says
"As we deepen our political engagement and celebrate our rich
inheritance, as our economies get more integrated and our people better
connected, our nations will become more prosperous. It will also open
new economic doors for India's northeast. And, it will enable our two
countries to integrate South Asia and connect it with the dynamic east,"
he added.
The Prime Minister also announced a new line of credit of $2 billion to Bangladesh.
Announcing this, he said, "Our development partnership is scaling new
heights. The quick implementation of the line of credit of $800 million
and full disbursement of $200 million in grant is a tribute to our
cooperation. We are pleased to extend another line of credit of $2
billion to support infrastructure and other development activities in
Bangladesh."
Modi also expressed his optimism on the two countries' cooperation to prevent illegal activities.
He said, "As the three agreements on human trafficking, fake Indian
currency and maritime safety show, our security cooperation is growing. I
am confident that we both have the political will and mutual confidence
to further improve border management and coordination to prevent
illegal activities, trafficking and movements."
BLOG: Modi has an opportunity to reboot India-Bangladesh ties
On sharing river waters bwteeen the two countries, he said, "Our rivers
should nurture our relationship, not become a source of discord. Water
sharing is, above all, a human issue. It affects life and livelihood on
both sides of the border. We have shown political resolve and mutual
goodwill with the Land Boundary Agreement. I am confident that with the
support of state governments in India, we can reach a fair solution on
Teesta and Feni rivers. We should also work together to renew and clean
our rivers."
