22 June,2024 02:24 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
PM Modi with Bangladesh PM Shaikh Hasina. Pic/PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Saturday to further strengthen cooperation in diverse areas including trade and connectivity, reported news agency PTI.
The Bangladesh prime minister began her two-day visit to India on Friday.
This is the first official bilateral state visit by a foreign leader to India since the Lok Sabha elections and the establishment of the new governemnet.
"PM @narendramodi extended a warm welcome to PM Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh at Hyderabad House ahead of their bilateral discussions," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X.
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He added, "The two leaders have met each other ten times since 2019, making unprecedented transformations in the relationship."
In the morning, Hasina reportedly visited Rajghat and paid rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.
According to the news agency report, the visiting leader was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, ahead of the talks.
Officials said the focus of the Modi-Hasina talks would be to impart a new momentum to the bilateral ties including in areas of trade, connectivity and energy, reported PTI.
The overall strategic ties between India and Bangladesh have been on an upswing in the last few years.
Under its "Neighbourhood First" policy India views Bangladesh as its important partner. The cooperation reportedly between the two nations extends to areas of security, trade, commerce, energy, connectivity, science and technology, defence and maritime affairs among others.
As per the agency report, Bangladesh is India's largest development partner with nearly one-fourth of New Delhi's commitment under the Line of Credit has been made to that country.
The neighbouring country is reportedly India's biggest trade partner in South Asia and India is the second biggest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia.
Reportedly, India is Bangladesh's largest export destination in Asia, with approximately USD 2 billion of Bangladeshi exports recorded to India in 2022-23.
According to the PTI report, there is active cooperation between various agencies of both countries to cooperate on police matters, and anti-corruption activities and to combat illicit drug trafficking, fake currency, and human trafficking, among others.
The two countries reportedly share 4096.7 km of border -- the longest land boundary that India shares with any of its neighbours.
Hasina was among the seven top leaders from India's neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region who attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and the Union Council of Ministers on June 9, reported the PTI.
