India, Bangladesh Review LOC, Explore Power Trade And Digital Cooperation

New Delhi, Mar 17 (KNN) India and Bangladesh have held discussions on reviewing the Line of Credit (LOC), expanding energy cooperation, and strengthening digital financial collaboration.

India’s High Commissioner Pranay Verma met Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office of Bangladesh, on March 16 to discuss key areas of bilateral economic cooperation.

The talks focused on reviewing the existing LOC framework based on mutual interests, alongside exploring Bangladesh’s potential participation in India’s power exchange market. Neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Nepal are already part of this market-based electricity trade system.

Both sides also discussed as to how Bangladesh could draw insights from India’s digital financial ecosystem, including platforms like Aadhaar, to strengthen its own systems.

The meeting further explored ways to enhance transport, energy, and digital connectivity, while identifying new avenues for cooperation aligned with shared developmental priorities.

In a related development, Bangladesh is set to increase diesel imports from India. 

According to Md. Murshed Hossain Azad of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, the country has already received 5,000 tonnes of diesel from India and expects another 5,000 tonnes by mid-March.

Additionally, a proposal to import 40,000 tonnes more diesel is under process, with deliveries expected by April after completion of formalities.

Fuel supplies between the two countries have been streamlined since the launch of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline in March 2023, enabling direct diesel transport via pipeline instead of rail.

(KNN Bureau)