Bangladesh to get defence items from India soon under $500mn LoC

December 16, 2021

CRICDOT DESK : Bangladesh will soon get some defence items from India under US$ 500 million line of credit (LoC) that had been extended to Bangladesh for purchasing defence equipment.

“I’m told that under this Line of Credit several items have been identified and fast-tracked. They are fairly in advance stages of the process,” said Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla while responding to a question at a media briefing at a city hotel on Wednesday night, reports UNB.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami conducted the briefing that highlighted various aspects of Indian President Ram Nath Kovind’s first day engagement in Dhaka.

Joint Secretary (Bangladesh-Myanmar) at the Ministry of External Affairs Smita Pant and Director Rajesh Uike were, among others, present.

Shringla, who served in Dhaka as India’s High Commissioner, said they will see some defence items being exported and coming to Bangladesh. “This is something we would like to see.”

The Foreign Secretary also highlighted the potential of joint manufacturing in the defence sector which is also something they want to see enhanced.

The US$ 500-million Line of Credit was first announced by India during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi in 2017.

Responding to a question, Shringla said they do not look at their relationship with Bangladesh in the prism of a third country and preferred not to comment on any issue that involves any third country.

“We deal with each other on a bilateral basis. We’re close friends. We’re neighbours. We cooperate in a wide range of areas. I hesitate to speak about what third countries are doing,” he said.

The Indian Foreign Secretary said Bangladesh and India have reached the high point of a relationship.

QUAD

Responding to a question on Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), a strategic platform of the United States, India, Japan and Australia, Shringla said the idea is to work with the countries in the Indo-Pacific region to provide them to with the means to attain the common vision of a free, open, transparent and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

“Obviously, the idea is we work with the countries,” he said, adding that it is Bangladesh’s sovereign decision to make but the nature of Quad is such that they want to work with other countries in partnership. “In that partnership, I think Bangladesh is an important partner.”

As far as Quad is concerned, Shringla said, the name itself suggests there are four countries and at this point of time obviously there is no talk of anything.