Shakhawat Hossain
Worried over China’s growing defence cooperation with Bangladesh, Indian Defence minister Manohar Parrikar will be rushing to Dhaka on a two-day visit beginning November 30 to draw up a major upgrade in bilateral defence cooperation to counter China’s growing clout.
According to a report in the Times of India, Parrikar is likely to discuss a new defence cooperation framework with Bangladesh, which will lead to stepped-up military supplies, technology transfer, training and joint exercises as well as closer cooperation in counter-terrorism between the two countries.
Quoting government sources, the report says that the new framework is likely to be inked when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits India in December this year.
Parrikar’s visit becomes significant as it comes soon after Bangladesh took delivery of its first-ever submarines from China on Monday.
The two diesel-electric submarines that Bangladesh received from China indicate growing military ties between the countries.
The report adds that India plans to counter Chinese designs to make inroads into its neighbourhood, ranging from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius to Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal.
As part of its plan to counter growing Chinese influence in the region, India is supplying air defence guns, radars and mine-protected vehicles to Sri Lanka. India is also constructing two naval offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the island nation now.
“In view of China deepening its strategic hold on Bangladesh, India does not want to be a mere spectator. New Delhi is fast looking to upgrade its defence cooperation with Dhaka, even as the Chinese handed over two submarines to the Bangladesh Navy,” International Business Times reported.
The two diesel-electric submarines were recently handed over to Bangladesh Navy chief Admiral Mohammad Nizamuddin Ahmed at the Dalian seaport of Liaoning province in China.
They have been seen by Indian media as a big indicator of the extensive military ties being forged between Dhaka and Beijing.
In mid-October, Xi Jinping also became the first Chinese president in 30 years to visit Bangladesh, which led to 27 deals worth $25 billion being inked. “India, of course, can neither match China’s economic muscle nor its domestic defence industrial base,” the Times of India said.
“India can supply naval offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) to Bangladesh through innovative financing mechanisms. The training of Bangladeshi personnel in Indian military establishments will also be increased under the overall capacity-building,” the source told the daily.
The sixth edition of the India-Bangladesh joint military exercise “Sampriti” is also currently under way at Tangail in Dhaka.
“With the focus being on counter-terrorism, the exercise will boost interoperability between the two armies. Regular naval and air force exercises will also be on the agenda now,” said the source.
India, on its part, has actively worked towards bolstering ties with Bangladesh over the last four years, with one of the main objectives being the need for the two to ‘resolutely’ tackle terrorism together.
India has also been holding direct army-to-army staff talks with Bangladesh since 2009.
The Times of India reported that India was “relieved” at Bangladesh’s move to scrap China’s bid to construct the Sonadia deep-sea port at Cox’s Bazaar earlier this year.
Source; Weekly Holiday
