India and Bangladesh celebrated the most important neighbourhood relationship, with Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina saying “India is our true friend” and PM Narendra Modi reciprocating the sentiment and offering Covid-19 vaccines when they will be manufactured in India.
Hasina’s remark came at a virtual summit she had with Modi a day after the ‘Victory Day’ celebrations in Bangladesh to mark the surrender of Pakistani troops to the Indian Army in Dhaka in 1971. “I pay deep homage to the three million martyrs who laid down their lives. I pay tribute to the members of the Indian armed forces martyred in the war and to their families. I pay my gratitude to the government and the people of India who extended their wholehearted support for the cause of our nation,” Hasina said.
Modi, meeting his Bangladeshi counterpart for the 10th time in five years, said, “Bangladesh is a major pillar of our ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. From the very first day, strengthening and developing relations with Bangladesh has been a special priority for me. Whether it is medicines or medical equipment, or working with health professionals, we are cooperating well in the field of Covid vaccine. We will also take special care of your needs in this regard.” India reiterated that Bangladesh would be accorded “high priority” in getting vaccines once India started manufacturing them.
The display of bilateral bonhomie was significant against the backdrop of Pakistan’s attempt to improve ties with Bangladesh as well as a determined Chinese bid to draw the Hasina government into a strategic clinch. The approach of both the countries hostile to India did not deter Dhaka from building upon its ties with India with the two nations signing seven agreements and agreeing to celebrate 50 years of friendship in different cities around the world.
PM Modi and Hasina jointly inaugurated a digital exhibition on Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi in an effort to celebrate their lives and legacies. The agreements included one on cooperation in hydrocarbons, Indian grants for high impact community development projects in Bangladesh which have been a big success, on trans-boundary elephant conservation, cooperation in agriculture, memorandum of understanding between museums and terms of reference for a CEOs Forum.
