India-Bangladesh ties go 'nuclear'; PM extends $1 billion credit for Rooppur project
While taking stock of the progress made in the infrastructural projects, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina agreed to preserve the legacy of the Bangladesh Liberation War and also discussed the ways to preserve it.
FollowAiming to expand its horizon of bilateral ties, India will develop the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant's transmission lines in Bangladesh, worth over $1 billion.
The Rooppur project is the first initiative under an Indo-Russian deal to undertake atomic energy projects in third-world countries.
For the first time, Indian companies are participating in a nuclear power project abroad.
Since India is not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, it cannot participate directly in constructing atomic power reactors.
After the bilateral summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, a slew of memorandum of understanding and projects were announced.
The MoUs and projects announced on Saturday include those on disaster management, resilience and mitigation, National Cadets Corps and setting up of transmission line for Rooppur nuclear power plant, among others.
"A significant part of our third line of credit will go to civil nuclear cooperation. Indian companies will develop transmission lines of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant under the line of credit. Value of these transmission lines will be worth over $1 billion," Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told media persons after the bilateral summit in Dhaka.
It is important to mention here that India and Bangladesh are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic ties.
While taking stock of the progress made in the infrastructural projects, the two prime ministers agreed to preserve the legacy of the Bangladesh Liberation War and discussed how to preserve it.
During their talks, issues about commerce and connectivity, cooperation and water resources, security, defence, power and energy, new areas like Artificial Intelligence, environment, societal application of nuclear energy were discussed.
New Delhi and Dhaka will jointly celebrate 50 years of friendship in 19 countries. The two sides have identified the places.
"This is a reflection of our desire to sustain the legacy of 1971," the foreign secretary said.
Every year December 6 will be celebrated as 'Maitri Diwas' as on this day, India formally recognized Bangladesh as a country.
The two leaders inaugurated the Bangladesh leg of the Bangbandhu-Bapu digital exhibition.
"This exhibition showcases perhaps the only photo of Bangabandhu & Bapu. We plan to take this exhibition to many countries & it was discussed in the last meeting of both prime ministers," Shringla added.
To enhance rail connectivity between two neighbouring countries, PM Modi and PM Hasina virtually inaugurated 'Mitali Express' between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal.
In reply to Rohingya refugees' question, Shringla said, "This issue does come up & should come up. There was an understanding between both sides that Bangladesh has done a lot to provide refuge to over a million displaced persons from Myanmar's Rakhine state."
In a humanitarian gesture, India gifted 109 ambulances, out of which few of them are the camps where the displaced people (Rohingya refugees) are housed.
On the Teesta water project, he said, “Teesta issue was discussed. PM Modi reiterated India's sincere and continued efforts to conclude this agreement in consultation with relevant stakeholders. The Indian side also requested for early finalization of a draft for sharing of water of Feni River."
PM Modi concluded his two-day visit to Bangladesh on Saturday. It was his first foreign trip post-Covid-19 pandemic and second as the prime minister.
