Indian Army Chief, Bangladesh envoy discuss enhancing Defence cooperation

New Delhi: Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India, M Riaz Hamidullah, held a meeting with Chief of Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, in New Delhi on Thursday, discussing enhancing Defence cooperation, including joint training initiatives.

The two officials discussed opportunities for deeper collaboration to promote regional peace and security.

“H.E. Mr M Hamidullah, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, called on General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS. During the interaction, they deliberated on enhancing bilateral Defence Cooperation, including joint training initiatives. They also explored opportunities for deeper collaboration aimed at promoting regional peace and security,” Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) posted on X.

On March 26, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, reiterated that India warmly welcomes the new government of Bangladesh as both countries remain bound by deep-rooted ties of history, culture, and language, which lend a unique warmth and closeness to the relationship.

Speaking at the National Day Reception hosted by the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi which marked the 56th Independence Day of the country, Singh said that the Liberation War of 1971 and the immense sacrifices made in the struggle against exploitation, oppression, and hatred, remain a shared legacy for India and Bangladesh.

“These profound bonds of solidarity continue to underpin our bilateral partnership, which is grounded in trust, shared values, and a common commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in our region. Our partnership has consistently been guided by a people-centric approach, with a shared focus on improving the everyday lives of our citizens. Whether through expanding connectivity across rail, road, inland waterways, and energy networks, or by facilitating trade and easing the movement of goods and people, our cooperation has always aimed to deliver tangible benefits,” he stated.

Singh said India and Bangladesh together continue to build a partnership that is strategic, people-focussed, and both resilient and forward-looking.

“Our progress reflects an enduring spirit of collaboration, nurtured through sustained efforts on both sides. Development partnerships, capacity-building initiatives, and cross-border projects have been shaped by mutual priorities and a shared vision of inclusive growth,” he mentioned.

On February 20, India said that it is looking forward to further strengthening the multifaceted bilateral ties with Bangladesh following the formation of a new government in the neighbouring country under the leadership of Tarique Rahman.

While addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “You would have seen that once the election happened in Bangladesh, our Prime Minister congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. On February 17, during the swearing-in ceremony, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, represented the Government of India. There, he handed over a letter from our Prime Minister to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.”

“He also had a bilateral meeting with the Bangladesh PM. Building on warm and historic ties between the two countries, we look forward to further strengthening our multifaceted bilateral ties with Bangladesh. We look forward to engaging with the new government and taking things forward. On the visa issue, we have conveyed our desire to build our bilateral ties. We have a new government there which has just come in, all aspects of our ties will be discussed with them,” he added.

IANS