Answer: In recent years, the India-Bangladesh relationship has witnessed unprecedented cooperation with both countries successfully resolving several old problems such as the exchange of conclaves and the conclusion of long-pending land and maritime boundary agreements. However, certain challenges remain, such as:

• River disputes: India shares 54 transboundary rivers with Bangladesh. Some of the major disputes include the Teesta River water sharing issue, the Tipaimukh Hydroelectric power project (proposed) on Barak River, etc.
• Illegal immigrants: India has witnessed a huge influx of illegal migrants through its porous borders with Bangladesh and both countries have their own version regarding this issue.
• Rohingya crisis: Bangladesh expects India to resolve the Rohingya crisis by putting pressure on Myanmar.
• Border management: It remains a bigger challenge due to the porous nature of the border, which provides pathways to the smuggling, and trafficking of arms, drugs, people, and cattle.
• Completing existing projects: Delay in execution of projects like Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal Initiative (BBIN).
• The China factor: China is increasing its presence in Bangladesh, which can induce Bangladesh to use the China card to supplement its bargaining capacity against India.
• Increasing radicalization: The presence of groups like Jamaat-e-Islami and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B) fuels anti-India sentiments.

Notwithstanding the continued existence of the aforementioned issues, the two countries have been able to move forward and strengthen their relationship through several measures, including:

• Economic cooperation:
  • Bangladesh is India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia and fourth largest destination for Indian exports with bilateral trade rising from $2.4 billion in 2009 to $10.8 billion in 2020- 21.
  • Bangladesh is the biggest development partner of India today. India has extended 3 Lines of Credits (LOC) to Bangladesh in the last 8 years amounting to US$ 8 billion.
  • Cumulative FDI from India to Bangladesh has more than doubled from 2014-18 to around 570 million USD.
  • Both countries aim to conclude negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by 2026.
• Security cooperation:
  • Both countries have agreed “to continue close security cooperation” over counter-terrorism, border crimes, and border management.
  • Through the defense cooperation framework pact, India is providing military equipment and technology transfer for enhancing cooperation in the field of strategic and operational studies. Bangladesh is helping India in combating secessionist activities in North Eastern India by denying safe havens for them.
  • Bangladesh has taken significant steps in dealing with major Indian insurgent organizations and maintained close cooperation with India in terms of intelligence sharing and security matters.
• Enhanced connectivity:
  • Both countries have agreed “to build resilient supply chains” between the two countries and “across the region” through more rail, road, inland waterways, and coastal shipping linkages.
  • Through the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, India is assisting Bangladesh to capture the potential of waterways. Akhaura-Agartala rail track will provide a major boost to the development and economy of eastern Bangladesh & north eastern India and reduce the distance between Kolkata and Dhaka by almost 1100 km.
• Capacity building:
  • SAARC satellite and National Knowledge Network helps boost Bangladesh’s digital capacity.
• Cultural ties:
  • It is being strengthened through a joint declaration for the celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary (2019), 50 years of the Bangladesh War of Liberation (2021), etc.

Thus, notwithstanding some persisting challenges in the bilateral relationship, the two countries have shown maturity in moving forward on other issues, which has been termed as the “Golden Chapter” in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.