India to focus connectivity with Bangladesh

“Fifty years (of Indian-Bangladesh bilateral relations) are over, think for, no not fifty years think next twenty years,” he said emerging after talks with his counterpart AK Abdul Momen in Dhaka.

“I would say most of all let us look at connectivity . . . I would pick connectivity as a big goal (for our relationship).”

The EAM said both neighbours talked about involving a third country, preferably Japan, to be a major stakeholder in the bilateral engagement in terms of connectivity as both Dhaka and New Delhi were having “very good” relations with Tokyo.

“Japan is involved (as well) in connectivity projects in the Bay of Bengal (region). I can tell you the whole geo-economics of the region will change, the Bay of Bengal will look very different.

"The Bangladesh foreign minister said the two sides discussed a wide range of ongoing bilateral issues, including Covid-19 cooperation, connectivity, trade, water, security, border and lines of credit.

“We focused on possible ways to materialise our commitments and how to prioritise and accommodate each other’s priorities in a mutually beneficial manner,” he was quoted as saying by news agency BSS.

Jaishankar arrived here this morning for a daylong trip to set the agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned upcoming visit to Bangladesh on March 26-27.