New Delhi: Growing Connectivity With Bangladesh To Transform Entire Northeast Economy, Says S Jaishankar

NEW DELHI: India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has recently conveyed his satisfaction over the booming connectivity between India and neighbouring Bangladesh. The Foreign minister also emphasized on the game-changing impact it has had on the northeastern region of India.

The foreign minister underlined that for the first time in their history, Bangladesh has allowed Indians to pass through their territory and use their ports and this has had a positive impact on the northeastern region.

The absence of this vital route meant that the people of this region were compelled to come down to the Siliguri corridor and enter via Bengal and then go down to India's eastern ports.

Jainshankar affirmed that the entire economy of the northeast will get a huge boost due to the availability of this convenient passage.

Apart from geographical proximity, the two countries share deep-rooted civilisational,cultural, social, and economic ties, which are further bolstered by a shared history, common heritage, linguistic and cultural connections, and a passion for music, literature and arts.

Meanwhile, as far as Nepal is concerned, Jaishankar said that Nepal's export of electricity to India is an enormously fruitful transaction for the Himalayan nation.

Jaishankar acknowledged India's growing engagement globally and said, “You are right that there is competition. I would say today we should not be scared of competition. We should welcome competition and say I have the ability to compete.”

These developments will turn out to be significantly beneficial for this region, particularly Tripura.

The stage is set for Tripura to transform itself into a connectivity hub, with the potential to export products worth 1200 crores and import goods worth 4200 crores over the next five years.

After its completion, the Agartala-Akhaura rail line will reduce the travel time and distance between Bangladesh and India's northeastern states drastically, thereby facilitating greater market access, commodities transit, and people-to-people communication.

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