Dr Arpita Hazarika
The chief of army staff of India, General Manoj Pande, completed his Bangladesh visit recently (from July 18 to July 20) as part of the “outstanding” bilateral defence relations between Bangladesh and India.
General Manoj Pande was on his first trip abroad since taking over the post. On the first day of his visit, the army chief laid a wreath at Shikha Anirban to honour the valiant souls who made the ultimate sacrifices during the Liberation War of 1971. General Pande received a Guard of Honour at a convention centre of Bangladesh Armed Forces.
The Army Chief paid a courtesy call to his Bangladesh counterpart General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed at the Army Headquarters in Dhaka. The two discussed ways to enhance and strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.
Gen Manoj Pande met with senior members of the security establishment several times throughout the day to discuss defence-related topics. In Dhanmondi, at Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum, he paid his respects. He met with Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina the next day and focused on strengthening bilateral ties.
The army chief spoke at the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur, where he addressed professors and students on the second day of his visit.
After that, he met with the staff at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support and Operation Training, a prestigious institution in Bangladesh that prepares peacekeepers for work in a variety of UN peace operations. After that, he visited the Bangabandhu Military Museum in Mirpur.
Gen Manoj Pande’s visit has strengthened relations between the two armies on a bilateral level and served as a catalyst for improved coordination and collaboration between the two nations on a variety of strategic problems.
In South Asia, Bangladesh is an important ally of the India. The two nations work closely together on problems like climate change, counterterrorism, and regional security. This visit may serve to cement bilateral defence ties. Defence cooperation between the two nations could strengthen their bilateral ties. Through this visit, India and Bangladesh have further reinforced their defence ties.
India played a significant role in the Bangladesh War of Liberation in 1971, helping the then-East Pakistan transform into the new country of Bangladesh, which permanently altered the dynamics of South Asia. India and Bangladesh agreed to a “Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation” that would last for 25 years. Given the numerous cultural, diplomatic, economic, and security linkages that exist between India and Bangladesh today, the two nations’ bilateral ties are now stronger than ever. Bangladesh occupies a special place in India’s heart as a close neighbour and an essential part of the country’s “Neighbourhood First Policy.”
Defence, security, and strategic connections between India and Bangladesh are expanding daily. Bangladesh is seen by India as an enduring strategic ally. In addition to giving 18 brand-new 120mm mortars to the Bangladesh Army in December 2020 as part of army-to-army cooperation, India has granted a $500 million line of credit to Bangladesh for defence procurement from India.
A 122-member group from Bangladesh’s tri-services also took part in the Republic Day parade in India in January 2021.
From March 8–10, two Indian naval ships—INS Kulish and INS Sumedha—visited Bangladesh’s Mongla Port, making it the first naval visit India had made in the previous 50 years. Bangladesh is still India’s “closest neighbour”. India wants to strengthen its relationship with Bangladesh just as the US wants to engage with it more strategically. Of sure, both nations would benefit from the situation.
In an effort to improve bilateral defence cooperation, Bangladesh’s new army chief Gen S M Shafiuddin Ahmed and India’s new army chief General Manoj Pande spoke via video chat earlier this month. It is believed that the two army commanders discussed how the geopolitical landscape was changing and how that would affect regional security.
Due to the close ties between the two countries, India is also hosting a number of events to commemorate the liberation of Bangladesh 50 years ago. The Bangladeshi and Indian militaries are increasingly collaborating on defence. Through a variety of initiatives, such as joint training and drills and defence discussions, the two countries’ armed forces have been working together more and more.
Two defence agreements were signed between Bangladesh and India during Sheikh Hasina’s four-day trip to New Delhi in April 2017. These were the first such pacts inked by India with any of its neighbours. According to the accords, the troops of the two nations would engage in cooperative training and exercises.
In order to achieve self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing in Bangladesh, India will assist Bangladesh in setting up manufacturing and service facilities for the defence platforms that both nations currently possess. Additionally, India will offer the Bangladesh military specialised training as well as technical and logistical support. India also gave Bangladesh its first ever line of credit for defence-related purchases to the amount of $500 million.
Additionally, the forces of the two nations have taken on a significant role in conducting training programs for dealing with counterterrorism challenges, natural catastrophes, and ensuring humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
General M.M. Naravane, the previous chief of staff of the Indian Army, visited General Aziz Ahmed, the then chief of army staff of Bangladesh, in March 2019 while serving as GOC-in-C of the Eastern Army Command to discuss expanding intelligence sharing between the two nations and expanding other areas of defence cooperation. The visit took place at a time when Myanmar made the decision to take decisive action against insurgent groups that were active in foiling terrorist activities on both sides of India and Myanmar. Discussions were also held about various ways to improve the conduct of military exercises at a more rapid and decisive scale.
On December 15, 2021, President Ram Nath Kovind met with the top officials of Bangladesh during his first state visit there at the invitation of his counterpart, M Abdul Hamid, to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina welcomed President Ram Nath Kovind, and the two leaders spoke about a range of topics of bilateral cooperation and shared interest. The defence issue came up during President Kovind’s meetings with Bangladesh’s top officials.
The Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh and the Export Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) inked a contract on April 11 to allow the latter access to a US$ 500 million line of credit (LOC). The Memorandum of Understanding aims to finance Bangladesh’s acquisition of defence equipment. In April 2017, India promised to provide Bangladesh with a US$ 500 million Line of Credit during Prime Minister Hasina’s visit to New Delhi.
India and Bangladesh have been providing the most soldiers to United Nations peacekeeping missions in terms of bilateral military cooperation. The two Armies’ collaboration has grown in the field of counterterrorism. India’s determination to combat terrorism in all its manifestations was echoed by Bangladesh’s resolute stance against terrorism. India is aware of Bangladesh’s efforts to prevent terrorist organizations from using space to conduct activities against India. In response, India should keep up its efforts to stop any terrorist group from using its territory to harm Bangladeshi interests.
India had encountered challenging circumstances in some of the States bordering Bangladesh, but since Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina’s government came to office in 2009, it has provided all assistance.
It made sure that no one could hurt a neighbouring country by using Bangladeshi soil. Bangladesh has made a commitment to not support terrorism or radicalism in any form and to prevent these activities from taking place on its soil.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian President Ramnath Kovind, Indian Foreign Minister, Indian Home Minister, and Chief Ministers of surrounding states have frequently voiced their praise for Bangladesh’s zero-tolerance approach to combating terrorism.
As a result of the insurgency’s current low point in North-East India, Chief Minister of Assam Hemant Bishwa Sharma has thanked Bangladesh for its assistance and emphasized his wish to improve trade and connection between Bangladesh and North-East India.

The writer is a researcher based at Gauhati University, Assam. [email protected]

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