Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said Bangladesh and India will soon be connected through six rail links and India and Nepal by two rail links. "Railways between countries are causing a rapid shrinking of South Asia's geography," he said, focusing on two sectors – connectivity and energy sector – where they have shown some "striking results." An India-Bangladesh friendship pipeline is also under construction and an LNG cross border pipeline and LNG terminal are being explored, said the foreign secretary. Read: India to remain resolute in dealing with security challenges in region: Shringla He said India's energy grids are increasingly being integrated with those of its neighbours. Shringla made the remarks at the inaugural session of the training module on "India's Neighbourhood" at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration Wednesday. The foreign secretary said the only country that his country's president, prime minister and external affairs minister have all visited since the pandemic struck has been Bangladesh, "cementing the very special" bilateral ties. "They did so to cement a very special relationship on the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh and the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations," he said, adding that countries in their neighbourhood are of special significance to them. Shringla said policy initiatives taken by India and its neighbours have implications for each other, and ties with the neighbouring countries have direct relevance to their states bordering these countries. He said India also realises its prosperity and growth are linked to that of its neighbours. "We cannot develop unless our neighbours develop." Shringla said connectivity within parts of their neighbourhood by road, by water, by rail and by air, and often by multimodal transport, has steadily improved. It is now possible to travel from Kolkata to Agartala by bus via Dhaka while goods can now reach Tripura using multi-modal networks through Chattogram and inland water routes, he said. "Improved connectivity means greater people-to-people contact and greater goodwill." Read:Bangladesh-India border: Shringla says small issues can be resolved through BGB-BSF talks Also, Shringla said the Indian grid is connected to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh through high-capacity connections, and transnational movement of electricity in the neighbourhood is a reality. India supplies about 1160 MW of power to Bangladesh, about 700 MW to Nepal, and imports 1.8 GW from Bhutan. It has also taken the lead in creating power capacity in the region and has created 2100 MW of hydropower capacity in Bhutan. "More is being created," Shringla said. India is also constructing the 1320 MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Project in Bangladesh.  

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said they must contend with "geopolitical realities and extant threats" such as cross-border terrorism and crime, noting that India has taken the lead in expanding maritime security in the region. “We'll be resolute in dealing with them. We'll continue to expand our capacities to do so,” Shringla said. The Indian foreign secretary mentioned that they will build alliances and networks through multilateral and plurilateral constructs such as the UN, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and closer home through Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) to deal with security challenges. Read:India to remain resolute in dealing with security challenges in region: Shringla Shringla made the remarks at the inaugural session of the training module on "India's Neighbourhood' at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration Wednesday. The Indian foreign secretary said maritime domain awareness has been enhanced through linked radar systems with their Indian Ocean neighbours. “Coordinated patrolling with Bangladesh, counter terrorism exercises with our BIMSTEC neighbours, Search and Rescue and Pollution Control operations with Sri Lanka are just some examples of activity in this area,” he said. Shringla said India has also assisted in upgrading security capacities and capabilities of some of its neighbours. The "neighbourhood first" approach to foreign policy accords the "highest priority" to India's relations with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the Indian Foreign Secretary said. "It is these countries – with the exception of Pakistan – that we work most closely with," he added. Shringla said globalisation begins with their neighbourhood, and it is the neighbourhood that comes first and foremost amongst all their foreign policy priorities. "We have made it clear to China that peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the development of our relationship," he said, adding that "Development of India-China relationship has to be based on 'three mutuals' – mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest." On the Pakistan issue, Shringla said while they desire a good relationship with the country, it cannot be "at the expense of" their security. Also, he said: "India remains engaged with Myanmar, a country with which they share a nearly 1,700km border." "We remain committed to a relationship that provides for our cooperation with Myanmar in security, economy and humanitarian assistance." Read: Bangladesh-India border: Shringla says small issues can be resolved through BGB-BSF talks He requested the participants to keep India's neighbours in mind when they have policy formulation positions in their future careers. "Please remember that domestic policies might have unintended consequences in the neighbourhood." Shringla added: "Whichever branch of government you work in, whichever part of India you are posted to, your work will have a component that is linked to globalisation and our neighbourhood."

Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Wednesday said some small issues happening along the Bangladesh-India border can be settled through holding meetings between the border forces of the two countries. “Bangladesh and India have settled all major issues through discussions; some small incidents happening along the border between the two countries can be solved through holding meetings between BGB and BSF,” Shringla said when he met Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. “We want this issue to be resolved,” he quoted the Indian Foreign Secretary as saying. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also agreed with Shringla, said Karim.Covid Issue  The Indian Foreign Secretary said normalcy is coming back in India after the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic setback. Read: Border killings remain an irritant, FM Momen tells Shringla Shringla said all are alert and aware about the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as 21 cases have been detected so far in India. Covid-19 has mutated 15 times before transforming into Omicron variant, said Shringla adding that the variant has been detected in many countries in Europe apart from African countries. He conveyed the greetings of Indian Prime Minister Modi to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina also greeted her Indian counterpart through the Indian Foreign Secretary. The Indian Foreign Secretary appreciated the economic progress of Bangladesh despite the Covid-19 pandemic and said there is good growth in India as well.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has underscored that the killing of Bangladesh nationals by the Indian border security forces continued to remain an irritant despite the goodwill and excellent relations between the two countries. Dr Momen urged Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to take up the matter with all the relevant agencies in India when Shringla met him at his office on Tuesday afternoon. He reiterated his hope over the early signing of the Teesta water-sharing deal and equitable comprehensive water-sharing agreement for other common rivers which, he thinks, may be seen as testimony of ‘Good Neighborhood’. He recalled that the two countries had resolved many of the outstanding issues in a spirit of understanding. Read:Dhaka, Delhi eye unique relationship resolving pending issues The Foreign Minister stressed promoting robust trade and commerce between the two countries for mutual benefit. He also urged the Indian side to take necessary measures in completing the “Swadhinota Sharak” connecting Mujibnagar to Kolkata as a symbol of friendship between the two countries. Foreign Minister Momen said India is Bangladesh’s best friend and both sides expressed their satisfaction on the ongoing cooperation and the high-level engagements even in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Bangladesh and India on Tuesday emphasized expediting efforts to resolve pending issues as the two countries look forward to a “very high-level relationship” finding new areas of cooperation. Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after holding a detailed discussion with his Bangladesh counterpart Masud Bin Momen at Foreign Service Academy. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Dr Momen said the two countries agreed to work for the welfare of the people in the two countries. Read: Dhaka, Delhi created model relations, says FM terming Dec 6 a historic day He said the Indian side talked about the border issue and assured Bangladesh of keeping more careful watch to avert any problem along the Bangladesh-India border.   The Foreign Minister recalled the respect shown by the Indian side to Bangladesh throughout this historic year.

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said connectivity between Bangladesh and India directly and positively impacts both the North East and Bangladesh.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have ‘virtual form of presence’ at the birth centenary celebrations of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 17.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday said Bangladesh will show respect to Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi in every possible way as a guest when he will join the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 17.

Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday at her official residence Ganobhaban.

Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi on Monday said Bangladesh does not want to see any situation that might affect the secular social fabrics.