Defence 'ties with India on the upswing'
Sunday, 26 April 2009
FE Report
Indo-Bangladesh defence ties are on the upswing under the Sheikh Hasina government in Dhaka, according to defensenews.com.
A high-level Bangladesh Air Force delegation led by the country's air chief, Air Marshal SM Zia-ur-Rehman, is in New Delhi to discuss defence ties between the neighbouring countries, a senior Indian Defence Ministry official said.
India is ready to export to Bangladesh defence equipment, including the advanced light helicopter, and to assist the country in building warships, the ministry official said.
New Delhi is concerned about the increasing levels of defence supplies being sent from China to Bangladesh, Defence Ministry sources in the Indian capital said.
There are reports the Chinese Navy has access to Bangladesh's Chittagong port, the sources said. China already has a military base on the Coco islands, leased from Myanmar, near India's Andaman islands, which is considered a listening post over the eastern part of India, including India's ballistic missile centre in the eastern state of Orissa. China is also helping Pakistan build the Gwadar deep-sea port.
China has sold artillery systems, combat aircraft and small arms to Bangladesh in the last two years.
The Bangladesh air chief will hold talks with Indian Defence Minister AK Antony, Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Army chief General Deepak Kapoor.
Indo-Bangladesh defence ties are on the upswing under the Sheikh Hasina government in Dhaka, according to defensenews.com.
A high-level Bangladesh Air Force delegation led by the country's air chief, Air Marshal SM Zia-ur-Rehman, is in New Delhi to discuss defence ties between the neighbouring countries, a senior Indian Defence Ministry official said.
India is ready to export to Bangladesh defence equipment, including the advanced light helicopter, and to assist the country in building warships, the ministry official said.
New Delhi is concerned about the increasing levels of defence supplies being sent from China to Bangladesh, Defence Ministry sources in the Indian capital said.
There are reports the Chinese Navy has access to Bangladesh's Chittagong port, the sources said. China already has a military base on the Coco islands, leased from Myanmar, near India's Andaman islands, which is considered a listening post over the eastern part of India, including India's ballistic missile centre in the eastern state of Orissa. China is also helping Pakistan build the Gwadar deep-sea port.
China has sold artillery systems, combat aircraft and small arms to Bangladesh in the last two years.
The Bangladesh air chief will hold talks with Indian Defence Minister AK Antony, Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Army chief General Deepak Kapoor.