Strategic significance of the Indian Army Chief's Bangladesh visit

Dr Arpita Hazarika

(drhazarikaarpita81@gmail.com)

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 on Monday.

General Pande paid a courtesy call on his Bangladesh counterpart General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed at the Army Headquarters in Dhaka on Monday. The two discussed ways to enhance and strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.

General Pande met with senior members of the security establishment several times throughout the day to discuss defence-related topics. In Dhanmondi, he also paid respects to the Memorial Museum of Bangladesh's Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday and focused on strengthening bilateral ties. The Army chief spoke to the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur, professors and students on the second day of his visit.

After that, he met with 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, and engaged in conversation with them. After that, he visited the Bangabandhu Military Museum in Mirpur.

General 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 India. The two nations work closely together on problems like climate change, counter-terrorism and regional security. This visit may serve to cement bilateral defence ties. Defence cooperation between nations could strengthen bilateral ties. Both India and Bangladesh are essential to the region. Despite some bilateral issues, both countries are greatly interested in further solidifying their bilateral ties, which was made clear by this visit. This could assist in bolstering bilateral ties and reflecting better bilateral understanding. This visit is highly important for Bangladesh and India in the region. Bangladesh and India must work together as reliable partners to address some shared issues. 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 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 "Neighborhood 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", and relations with it are at a "golden age". 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 SM Shafiuddin Ahmed and India's new Army chief General Pande spoke via a video conference earlier this month.

It is believed that the two army commanders also discussed how the geopolitical landscape was changing and how that would affect regional security.

In recent years, India and Bangladesh's defence and security relations have improved. The 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's Liberation was in 2021. Both India and Bangladesh have highly-trained, experienced military forces, and they work together to keep the Eastern region peaceful. 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 and 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 Bangladesh specialized military training as well as technical and logistical support. Additionally, the forces of the two nations have taken on a significant role in conducting training programmes for dealing with counter-terrorism challenges, and natural catastrophes, and ensuring humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

General MM Naravane, the then 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 most importantly took place at a time when Myanmar made the decision to take decisive action against insurgent groups that were active in 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.

Defence and security are significant elements of India and Bangladesh's bilateral relations, and the armed forces of the two nations cooperate and coordinate with one another on numerous levels.

As some selected items are being prioritized, Bangladesh would soon import goods connected to defence from India under the US $500 million line of credit offered by New Delhi, said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on December 16. Under this line of credit, a number of items have been identified and are being accelerated quickly; their processing is at a fair degree of progress (according to news reports).

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. They talked about the development of their intricate and extensive bilateral relations.

The defence issue came up during former Indian 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.

Bangladesh has a "special place" in India's "Neighborhood First Policy", according to President Ram Nath Kovind, who also told Bangladesh's top leaders that the two countries' relationship, which is based on sovereignty, equality, trust, and understanding, is mature enough to handle even the "most complex of problems".

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 counter-terrorism. 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 its territory 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, former Indian President Ramnath Kovind, the Indian Foreign Minister, the 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 current low point of insurgency in Northeast India, the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Bishwa Sarma, has thanked Bangladesh for its assistance and emphasized his wish to improve trade and connection between Bangladesh and Northeast India.

To strengthen the defence and security facets of their alliance, Bangladesh and India can cooperate in the field of defence. The two nations should be dedicated to further developing the defence and security component of their partnership based on the needs expressed and each party's ability to respond to them using different methods, including through capacity building and potential technology transfer. India can assist Bangladesh in achieving the goal of implementation of Bangladesh's visionary military plan "Forces Goal 2030".