Bangladesh Navy Inks Deal for 'Made in India' 800-Ton Ocean-Going Tug with GRSE

Tags: International Relations

Bangladesh Navy signs a contract for a "Made in India" 800-tonne ocean-going tug with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

An Overview of the News

• This is the second contract for GRSE this month, following a $16.6 million deal with the Bangladesh Inland Waterways Transport Authority (BIWTA) to build a dredger.

Admiral Tripathi's Visit

• Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi visits Bangladesh for a four-day official visit.

• The visit coincides with the contract signing between Bangladesh Navy and GRSE.

Bilateral Relations and Agreements

• The visit follows Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina's bilateral visit to India on June 21-22.

• Agreements were signed to strengthen ties in the maritime sphere and blue economy.

• Bangladesh decided to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), a forum promoted by India for collaborative solutions to common challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

Purpose of the Visit

• The visit aims to consolidate bilateral defence relations between India and Bangladesh.

• Exploration of new avenues for naval cooperation.