The new government in India right from day 1 has stressed its interest in strengthening relationship with its neighbours. It was evident with the grand swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which had the presence of all our South Asian neighbours alongside President of Mauritius. It is in this light that Smt. Sushma Swaraj has decided to make Bangladesh her first solo destination after assuming office. This shows the importance India gives to the bilateral relations with Bangladesh and its commitment to carry forward from where the previous government left. It will be interesting to see how the new government in India with a strong majority and a will to take tough decisions and the Government of Bangladesh which has cracked down on radicalization strongly will together take the bi-lateral relations as well the SAARC to new heights.

Nobody wants a noisy neighbourhood, it essentially spoils your sleep and causes health to deteriorate. A good neighbour for India is only in favour of India’s economy. India has started its journey on the path of economic revival and sound relations with its neighbours will only make that path swifter. India-Bangladesh relations have had their fare share of ups and downs with issues of illegal migration, Teesta water sharing, Land Border Agreement, issues of killings along the border, opening of markets for Indian companies, Bay of Bengal sea water etc. Both our countries need to find a middle ground from where each can benefit. And there cannot be a better time than present.

Radicalization and on that Islamic radicalization is an issue both the countries have been facing. The ethos of equality and peaceful co-existence form the core of both the societies and any kind of fundamentalism should not be allowed to flourish. Sheikh Hasina government has made all attempts to de-radicalize Bangladesh since she came in power in 2009. India on its part needs to openly support her government for the bold initiative even when that meant a threat to her personal life. Sheik Hasina’s government can help India counter terrorist organizations like HUJI.

South Asia is amongst the poorest regions of the world after the Sub-Saharan Africa. The people of this region deserve more than radicalization and religious rhetoric. Our governments need to collaborate to develop jobs. More jobs would mean peaceful and prosperous South Asia. India here has a major role to play being the biggest economy. By helping create more jobs in Bangladesh, India can effectively counter illegal migration. Also we need to legalize migration from Bangladesh by giving work permits for specific durations.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also play a major role in India’s Look East policy. An uninterrupted link to North East region via Bangladesh will open a lot of avenues for trade and commerce for both India and Bangladesh. It will link the region directly to South East Asia and open a box full of possibilities. The issues of enclaves, Land Border Agreement and Teesta water sharing too need to be thought out more comprehensively and the humanitarian aspect too shouldn’t be forgotten.

India and Bangladesh form the branches of the same tree. There is a lot we can do to foster relations and learn from each other. India should provide more opportunities to the youth of Bangladesh and learn from their models like Grameen Bank. Together both the nations can build a stronger South Asian region.