India to soon initiate discussions on a bilateral economic comprehensive partnership agreement with Bangladesh: PM Modi
06 Sep 2022 18:04:20
New Delhi, Sept 6: The Indian government has decided to soon initiate discussions on a bilateral economic comprehensive partnership agreement with Bangladesh, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 September.
Addressing a joint press conference after meeting with Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina, PM Modi said that India will extend cooperation in the information technology, space, and nuclear sectors with Bangladesh.
PM Modi said, "Across Asia, India is the biggest market for exports from Bangladesh. To further expedite this progress, we will soon initiate discussions on a bilateral economic comprehensive partnership agreement." Adding more, he said, "Today, Bangladesh is India's biggest development partner and our biggest trade partner in the region. There is a continuous improvement in the people-to-people cooperation." "Trade between India-Bangladesh is increasing rapidly. We have decided to extend cooperation in the IT, Space and Nuclear sectors. Talks are also underway between India and Bangladesh on power transmission lines," he said. In his address, PM Modi stressed the need to take lessons from the Covid pandemic, and recent global happenings and emphasized the need to strengthen the economies of both nations. "In the last few years, our mutual cooperation has increased. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and I had a discussion on various bilateral, regional, and international issues. We need to take lessons from the Covid pandemic and recent global happenings and must strengthen our economy," PM said. Citing 54 rivers flowing through the India-Bangladesh border, the Indian government signed an important agreement regarding the water-sharing of the Kushiyara River. Also, India had been sharing real-time data regarding floods with Bangladesh. Issues related to terrorism were also discussed between the two heads. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina in her address congratulated the Indian government on the successful completion of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and extended her wishes for Amrit Kaal. "The two countries have resolved many outstanding issues and we hope that all outstanding issues, including Teesta water-sharing treaty, would be concluded at an early date," Sheikh Hasina said.
Both countries have been involved in a joint study on the CEPA, which has been in discussions between the two neighbors for many years. Bangladesh PM Hasina last visited India in 2019. Last month, India and Bangladesh settled the text of the settlement in the in-between interim sharing of the water of the Kushiyara stream.