India, Bangladesh sign 22 pacts |
India and Bangladesh signed 22 pacts in various key sectors on April 8, 2017, after Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi held extensive discussions to strengthen bilateral partnership between both countries. The 22 pacts were signed on a wide range of bilateral relations including energy, defence cooperation and infrastructure. However, the contentious and much-delayed Teesta water-sharing issue remained unresolved. Modi said he believed that it is only his government and her excellency`s that can and will find an early solution to Teesta water sharing. The statement came in the presence of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who has some reservations on the issue regarding water for the farmers of the state. India also announced a $4.5 billion credit line to Bangladesh for projects in priority sector and an additional $500 million for defence procurement. The two leaders jointly inaugurated, via video conference, a bus service that will run between Kolkata, Khulna and Dhaka, a new passenger train service from Khulna to Kolkata through Petrapole from the Indian side and Benapole from the Bangladesh side and a new rail link between Radhikapur and Birol for running goods trains. India will also finance diesel oil pipeline from Numaligarh-Parbatipur wherein Indian companies will enter into a long-term agreement for supply of high-speed diesel.
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