Dhaka, November 30 (NIA): Indian Defense Minister Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday with a delegation of 11 dignitaries for a two-day visit.
The Bangladesh media quoted Defense Ministry officials to say that the focus of the visit is to deepen security ties and finalize the Defense Cooperation Agreement that is likely to be signed when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits India around December 17.
According to the Indian Media, Parikkar’s visit is the first Indian Defense Minister’s visit to Bangladesh in 45 years.
Parrikar came in a special Indian flight. At the Bangladesh air force base at Kurmitola, the Armed Forces Principal Staff Officer Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman and officials from the different ministries greeted the Indian Defense Minister and his delegation. The Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla was also present.
The Indian delegation, which includes the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy Deputy Chiefs, will pay a courtesy call on the President and Prime Minister of Bangladesh. They will also meet with the Bangladesh Army, Air Force and Navy chiefs and the Security Advisor to the Prime Minister Major General (Rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique.
The discussions will cover naval cooperation, including coordinated patrolling along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), bilateral maritime exercises, joint surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone and cooperation in hydrography.
END
