India-B'desh ties deeper than any other strategic partnership: Shringla
New Delhi: India-Bangladesh relations today are deeper than any other strategic partnership and a "role model" for ties between two neighbouring countries, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Saturday.
In his remarks at the 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh Conclave: 2021' on 'Humanitarian, Political and Diplomatic Facets of the 1971 War', Shringla also lauded the role of the Indian Air Force in the war, saying it played a crucial role in supporting the valiant struggle of the Mukti Bahini.
Having served in Bangladesh, Shringla said he has heard many brave accounts of the dogfights that IAF pilots engaged in over Dhaka, which greatly inspired the Bangladeshi people watching this from their rooftops.
He asserted that 1971 was as much a moral and political victory as it was a decisive military victory for India.
He said contemporary India-Bangladesh relations have taken great strides forward, especially in recent years.
Two major pillars of Indian diplomacy — Neighbourhood First and Act East policies — find expression in India's vibrant ties with Bangladesh, he said.
Noting that this year is of special significance for India-Bangladesh relations, Shringla quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi as saying that this year marks a "Triveni of events of epochal significance — the golden jubilee of the Liberation War of Bangladesh, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic ties.
India remains a committed partner in Bangladesh's socio-economic growth and development, he said.
The spirit of friendship, understanding and mutual respect engendered during the liberation of Bangladesh continues to permeate different aspects of this relationship, he asserted.
"Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India and Bangladesh share a Sonali Adhyay' or golden era — a relationship geared towards bringing stability and prosperity to people on both sides of the border," he said.
