Modi announces $4.5 billion line of credit to Bangladesh, Teesta remains unresolved
New Delhi: India and Bangladesh opened a new chapter in bilateral ties with the signing of 22 pacts in areas spanning civil nuclear cooperation and defence, which, alongwith prime minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of a $ 4.5 billion concessional line of credit, underlined New Delhi’s role as a partner in Dhaka’s key development partner.
The pacts were signed after talks in New Delhi between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina who is on her first trip to India in seven years. Hasina arrived in New Delhi on Friday at the start of a four day visit.
The $4.5 billion credit line is separate from a $ 500 million line of credit for defence hardware purchases also announced during the ongoing visit.
On the vexed issue of sharing of the waters of the river Teesta between the two countries, Modi promised “an early solution” – an indication of not having achieved any breakthrough in the ongoing visit.
Hailing her India trip as the start of a new “golden era” between the two countries, Modi credited Sheikh Hasina for what he described as the”transformation” in the relationship.
