The draft of MoU includes cooperation in the
defence industry and joint initiatives for its development, defence
technology, research and maritime infrastructure development.
Officials
told Prothom Alo on Wednesday that the draft framework of the defence
cooperation MoU between Bangladesh and India has been finalised after
about three months of talks between the two countries.
If all
goes according to the plan, the deal will signed during prime minister
Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in April, they added.
According to the draft schedule, Sheikh Hasina is to arrive in New
Delhi on 7 April on a four-day state visit to India. After her talks
with the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, on 8 April, several
agreements and MoUs are expected to be signed, including the defence
memorandum.
Talks are reportedly on also for an MoU pertaining to the purchase of
military equipment from India under a credit agreement for the first
time. Once the MoU is finalised and signed, Bangladesh will purchase
defence equipment worth about Taka 4,000 crore ($500 million) from
India.
Officials of various ministries concerned have said that so far 49
agreements and MoUs have been discussed for signing during the prime
minister’s forthcoming visit.
However, the long-unresolved Teesta treaty is not included among these.
The list includes nine MoUs including the one for defence
cooperation. Till last week, so far 17 agreements and MoUs have been
finalised. More are likely to be finalised in the next few days.
Officials of the foreign ministry said that so far there has been no
indication of the Teesta treaty to be signed during this visit. If it is
finalised at the last minute, that will be a dramatic development.
However, even if the Teesta deal is not signed, India may come up
with a specific declaration regarding river basin management, the
officials said.
India had proposed long-term agreement framework to consolidate
defence cooperation between the two countries. Last December, India’s
defence minister at the time Manohar Parrikar came to Bangladesh and
discussed the issue with the prime minister Sheikh Hasina. After
discussions at several levels, Bangladesh finally agreed to an MoU for
defence cooperation rather than a long-term agreement. Bangladesh and
India finalised the drat MoU in the first half of February this year.
In giving a formal shape to the existing defence cooperation, the
armed forces of the two countries will show respect towards
international and national laws, each other’s laws, relevant
conditionalities, policies and customs.
In order to enhance the efficiency of officers in the defence sector,
the two sides will exchange training, military experts, trainers and
observers, military curricula and information. The two sides will
organise cooperation in military equipment maintenance, and training
pertaining to disaster and relief cooperation.
Talks will be held among the army, navy and air force regarding
defence cooperation. Exchange trips by sea vessels and aircraft will be
arranged. There will be joint patrol of the international maritime
boundaries.
The defence industry cooperation will include joint investment,
cooperation in outer-space technology, technical support, exchange of
experience, training and maritime infrastructure development.
Annual meetings will be held between the defence secretaries and
principal staff officers of the armed forces of the countries to review
the defence cooperation. These meeting will be held alternatively in the
two countries.
As to why an MoU is being signed rather than a full-blown defence
pact, a government official, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom
Alo, this is the first time Bangladesh is signing any framework with any
country and so due to many considerations, it was decided not to sign
an agreement at first. It is simply a matter of caution.