Sagar Biswas :
Indian Defence Minister Shri Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar arrived Dhaka on Wednesday with a top-level 11-member defence delegation that includes vice chiefs of Army, Air Force and Navy along with Director General of Coast Guard.
A special IAF aircraft carrying Manohar Parrikar reached Bangladesh Air Force Base Bangabandhu at Kurmitola under Dhaka Cantonment where Principal Staff Officer of Bangladesh Army Lieutenant General Mahfuzur Rahman received him.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsha Bardhan Sringla was also present at that time, said Inter-Service Public Relations in a press release.
It is the first visit by a Defence Minister of India in over 45 years. Diplomatic Circle expected that the two-day visit of Indian Defence Minister will deepen security co-operation and upgrade defence relations between the two neighbouring countries.
Especially, this visit is aimed to make stronger the relations between the leaders of two friendly countries ahead of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit to India scheduled on December 18.
Meanwhile, the Indian Defence Minister held a meeting with President Abdul Hamid, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the military, at Bangabhaban yesterday afternoon.
“In the meeting, the President laid emphasis on bilateral defence and security cooperation, including joint military exercise and training. The President also expressed sympathy over the loss of lives in terror attacks in Uri and Pathankot,” President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told The New Nation.
Manohar Parrikar was also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also in charge of Defence Ministry, and Prime Minister’s Defence and Security Adviser Major General [retd] Tarique Ahmed Siddique.
Official sources said that a draft of defence deal is likely to be prepared in presence of Manohar Parrikar which will be signed during Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit to India, apparently to bring the defence cooperation of both countries under a structural frame.
Apart from defence, India is also showing interest on security affairs. The draft will consist of some bilateral affairs, including increase of arms-ammunition supply, exchange of technology and tackling terrorism, the sources said.
Indian media have reported that, there is a possibility of offering Offshore Petrol Vessel to Bangladesh, something India has already exported to other countries in the region.
Sources close to the Defence Ministry said that India is showing interest to develop bilateral relations in defence sector, after Bangladesh Navy procured two refurbished Type 035 [Ming]-class diesel-electric submarines [SSKs] from China on November 14.
Defence analysts said the close relation between Dhaka and Beijing over defence issue is a very old one. China has emerged as a major supplier when Bangladesh has been looking to modernise its military.
Bangladesh always gives preference to China in purchasing of arms and military hardware. Apart from China, Dhaka also keeps close relation with Moscow in defence purchase deal.
On the other hand, the relation between Dhaka and Delhi over defence cooperation is quite different where both countries usually take part in training, joint exercise and visit of military officials, according to defence analysts.
Indian media reported that, Parrikar’s visit is significant as it shows Delhi is ready to help its friendly neighbour in its defence needs, and at the same time, India also looks to counter increasing Chinese footprint in the region.
“Beijing might be looking to gain some strategic benefits from the submarine deal. But the onus is on the Modi government to see that it does not happen,” said Bharat Karnad, a research professor at the India-based think tank Centre for Policy Research, Defense News reported.
Before leaving Dhaka today [Thursday], the Indian defence delegation is likely to visit Bangladesh Military Academy in Chittagong.
