‘India-Bangladesh friendship reaching new heights under Modi, Hasina’

Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal today said India-Bangladesh friendship is reaching new heights under Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina and the friendship between the two countries has evolved into a strategic partnership with multifaceted and deep collaboration in trade, investment, food security and technology.

He said, "Our friendship has evolved into a strategic partnership with multifaceted and deep collaboration in trade, investment, food security and technology."

Goyal was speaking after virtually flagging off an Indian vessel carrying 200 tonnes of food grains from Patna, capital city of eastern Indian state of Bihar, to Pandu in Guwahati, Assam, via Bangladesh, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

He said the movement of the vessel as a pilot project is another milestone and a testament to ever-growing friendship between India and Bangladesh.

"Our friendship has evolved into a strategic partnership with multifaceted and deep collaboration in trade, investment, food security and technology," according to Goyal.

The Indian vessel MV Lal Bahadur Shastri carrying the food grains will be the first food grain movement on this Inland Water Transport (IWT) route from Patna to Pandu through Bangladesh, an official statement said.

While on the voyage from Patna to Pandu, the vessel will sail through Bhagalpur, Manihari, Sahibganj, Farakka, Tribeni, Kolkata, Haldia, Hemnagar, Khulna, Narayanganj/Sirajganj, Chilmari, Dhubri and Jogighopa.

The 2,350 km journey of the vessel will take 25 to 30 days and is expected to establish technical and commercial viability of Inland Waterways Trade mode using these multiple waterways.

The Indian Minister said two stretches of India-Bangladesh Protocol waterways route are being developed with a budget of Rs 305 crores.