India, Bangladesh Army chiefs talk, discuss 'issues of mutual interest'

 
Three months after the Sheikh Hasina government fell following a violent uprising, Indian Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday had a virtual interaction with his Bangladeshi counterpart General Waker-Uz-Zaman. This is the first such interaction between the Army chiefs of the two countries since the August 5 political upheaval that forced Hasina to flee Bangladesh. According to a statement by the Indian Army, Dwivedi "interacted with General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army, on Video tele call". The two "exchanged views on issues of mutual interest including bilateral Defence Cooperation", the Army statement said, The Indian Express reports.

The interaction is significant in the wake of speculation that amid the political turmoil in the country, Pakistan and China would be working to deepen their influence in Bangladesh. New Delhi and Dhaka have had close ties through the Hasina regime and have enhanced cooperation on various fronts, including defence and internal security.

While historically the armed forces of the two countries have had good relations given the Indian Army's role in the liberation of Bangladesh, defence ties between the two countries are said to have become stronger during the Hasina regime. Over the years, there has been a broad-basing of strategic cooperation between the two countries in terms of regular visits, joint training exercises, and supply of military hardware from India to Bangladesh.

Zaman himself is said to have good relations with the military leadership in India. Continuing military-to-military contact with the Bangladesh Army in addition to keeping diplomatic channels open is also important given that the country is going through a period of political transition where the military is playing an important role in not only ensuring the nation's security but also maintaining law and order for a smooth handover of power.