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INDIA BANGLADESH

INDIA BANGLADESH

Three sides of Bangladesh's land border are shared with India, and one side runs along the Bay of Bengal. India and Bangladesh share 4096.7 km. of border, which is the longest land boundary that India shares with any of its neighbours. India was the first country to recognize Bangladesh as a separate and independent state and established diplomatic relations with the country immediately after its independence in December 1971 as a friendly South Asian neighbour. Bangladesh occupies a key place in India’s Neighbourhood First policy. India's links with Bangladesh are civilisational, cultural, social and economic. There is much that unites the two countries- a shared history and common heritage, linguistic and cultural ties, passion for music, literature and the arts. Also, Rabindranath Tagore, created the National Anthems of both India and Bangladesh. However, there still remain major issues such as river water disputes (Teesta River water sharing), aiding illegal immigrants, and drug trades remain between India and Bangladesh, that must be addressed.

India relation with Bangladesh

• Economic Ties: The geographical proximity of India to Bangladesh has made it one of its biggest trading partners. Bangladesh is the 6th largest trade partner of India.
• Sharing of River Waters: India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers. The Ganga Waters Treaty signed in 1996 for sharing of waters of river Ganga during lean season (January 1-May 31). Most recently, the Kushiyara Pact was signed that will benefit people in Southern Assam and the Sylhet region in Bangladesh.
• Connectivity: India and Bangladesh share 4096.7 Km. of border, which touches Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and West Bengal. Transit and trade through inland waterways have been governed by a long standing and time-tested protocol between Bangladesh and India.
• Tourism: According to the Ministry of Tourism, Bangladesh accounted for the largest share of foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2020, including tens of thousands of people who come to the country for medical treatment.

Problems related between India and Bangladesh

• Teesta River Water Dispute: Teesta river flows from India to the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh. Almost half a dozen districts in West Bengal are dependent on this river. It is also a major source of irrigation to the paddy growing greater Rangpur region of Bangladesh.
• Illegal Migration: Illegal immigration from Bangladesh to India, which includes both refugees and economic migrants, continues unabated. Large influx of such migrants across the boundary has posed serious socio-economic-political problems for the people of Indian states bordering Bangladesh with serious implications for its resources and national security. The issue was further complicated when the Rohingya refugees originally from Myanmar started infiltrating into India through Bangladesh.
• Drug Smuggling & Trafficking: There have been many incidences of cross border drug smuggling & trafficking. Humans ( especially children & women) are trafficked & various animal & bird species are poached through these borders.
• Terrorism: The borders are susceptible to terrorist infiltration. A number of outfits are trying to spread their tentacles across India, such as Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). JMB is listed as a terror group by Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and the United Kingdom.

Solutions for the relations

• Addressing Teesta River Water Dispute: To establish a consensus towards demarcating the extent of teesta river water sharing and reaching a mutual agreement, both the Bengal government and the central government should work together with mutual understanding and signal cooperative federalism.
• Better Connectivity: There is a need to enhance connectivity in the region through strengthening cooperation in coastal connectivity, road, rail and inland waterways.
• Energy Security: As the global energy crisis continues to rise, it is imperative that India and Bangladesh cooperate in making use of clean and green energy in order to make South Asia Energy self-sufficient.
• Countering China’s Influence: Assisting Bangladesh with Nuclear technology, Artificial intelligence, Modern farming techniques, and flood data exchange will further strengthen India's relationship with Bangladesh and help India in countering China’s influence to a greater extent.
• Tackling the Refugee Crisis: India and Bangladesh can take the lead in encouraging other countries in the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to develop a SAARC declaration on refugees, laying down a specific procedures for determining status of refugee and economic migrants.