Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba calls on Bangladesh president, PM Sheikh Hasina to discuss coastal security

Dhaka: Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Monday called on President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who expressed her country’s willingness to share the Indian Navy’s expertise in ensuring the maritime and coastal security. “We can share the Indian Navy’s expertise in ensuring our maritime and coastal security,” Prime Minister Hasina’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted her as telling Admiral Lanba during their meeting. Hasina hailed the “excellent relations” between the two neighbours and referred to the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA).  The two countries signed LBA in 2015 to simplify their 4,000-km border. “We can do many things if the relation is good,” she told Lanba, who is here as part of his six-day visit to Bangladesh to boost bilateral defence ties. On his part, Admiral Lanba said cooperation between the two navies was “growing” and “we want to take it further”. [caption id=“attachment_3162380” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba. Getty Images[/caption] Hasina reiterated Bangladesh’s gratitude to India for its support during the 1971 Liberation War. Admiral Lanba earlier made a courtesy call on President Abdul Hamid who proposed initiation of joint studies with India to explore the blue economy. “There is an enormous scope of exploring the blue economy…A bilateral research is essential since Bangladesh and India share a common maritime boundary,” a Bangabhaban (Presidential Palace) spokesman quoted President Hamid as telling Admiral Lanba during the meeting. President Hamid appreciated Indian Navy chief’s visit and said the exchange of such visits would help play an effective role in strengthening bilateral relations, according to his Press Secretary Joynal Abedin.  Admiral Lanba said the two navies could benefit them through exchanging mutual experiences and training. The first-ever Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) by the Bangladesh and Indian navies would be conducted in Chittagong on 27 June. It would be jointly inaugurated by chiefs of navies of the two countries. The aim of the joint patrol is to reduce transnational or non-traditional maritime threats that affect the maritime security. Admiral Lanba said such cooperation would help ensure economic development in both the countries. Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla, presidential palace officials and senior navy officers were present during the meeting. Admiral Lanba also met his Bangladesh counterpart Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed and Air Chief Air Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat. The Indian Navy chief, who arrived here yesterday, would also address student officers at the National Defence College, Mirpur. He will also visit various institutions and hold talks with regional commanders of the Bangladesh Navy.