India seeks continued deep defence ties with Bangladesh: Envoy

Dhaka: Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi on Wednesday said New Delhi attaches "immense importance" to its defence and strategic ties with Bangladesh as he called on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's defence adviser Brigadier (retd) Shamsul Islam at his cantonment office.

The meeting comes a day after Trivedi met Bangladesh President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and discussed strengthening the "deep-rooted" and multifaceted ties between the two countries.

"India attaches immense importance to its deep military and strategic relationship with Bangladesh," the Bangladesh Defence Ministry's Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) directorate quoted the high commissioner as saying during the meeting.


It said Trivedi reaffirmed India's continued commitment to work with Bangladesh's armed forces on professional cooperation, capacity building, and areas of shared security interest.

The ISPR called Trivedi's meeting with Shamsul Islam "fruitful" as they discussed issues, including joint training programmes for the professional development of the armed forces, exchanges of experience and training between military officials, disaster management, and regional peace and maritime security.

It said that during the talks, the high commissioner lauded the Bangladesh government's socio-economic initiatives.

"Both sides expressed their determination to work together as neighbouring countries on bilateral defence cooperation, safeguarding regional stability and addressing common global challenges," the ISPR said.

The meetings come amid efforts by the two neighbouring countries to maintain and strengthen bilateral engagement after a period of strained ties over New Delhi providing political asylum to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following her ouster in a youth-led agitation in August 2024.

In recent weeks, Trivedi has held a series of meetings with top political leaders of Bangladesh, including Prime Minister Rahman, underlining the need to create a conducive environment to deepen bilateral ties. PTI