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Bangladesh provides India with a wish list of military equipment
Despite the delayed progress on the line of credit extension in 2018, different types of equipment are being considered at various stages.
According to official sources, Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka recently shared a wish list of military platforms and systems that its armed forces would like to purchase from India, marking some progress on the delayed implementation of the $500 million defence Line of Credit (LoC) extended by India to Bangladesh. This contains a wide variety of tools, such as an oil tanker for the Bangladesh Navy, a logistics ship, and a floating dock.
According to its “Forces Goal 2030,” Bangladesh is modernising its military by introducing new weaponry and enhancing infrastructure.
A large portion of these requirements can be met by India, which will strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, according to an official source.
The LoC was extended in 2018 and is intended to be used by April 2029. Despite the slow pace of development, the insider said that numerous equipment kinds are now being considered in various phases.
Speaking of the wish list, the source claimed that the Bangladesh Army has already authorised the purchase of three items under the LoC: 11 mine-protective vehicles from the TATA Group, which will likely cost around $2.2 million; seven portable steel bridges (Bailey), which will cost roughly $10 million; and five bridge layer tanks (BLT-72).
Mahindra XUV 500 off-road vehicles, Mahindra door hard top vehicles, armoured engineer reconnaissance vehicles, bulletproof helmets, heavy recovery vehicles, and Mahindra vehicles with an estimated $2.35 million price tag are further equipment that the Bangladesh Army is considering purchasing. Other proposals from Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Private Limited include the modernization and expansion of an automobile assembly unit for a factory that manufactures machine tools in Bangladesh, two types of explosives at a cost of over 4 crore, 21 types of raw materials at a cost of about 3 crore, and 10 types of tools at a cost of 6.6 crore.
According to the source, the Bangladesh Navy has suggested buying an ocean-going tug, an oil tanker, a floating dock, and a logistics ship.
During Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s current visit to India, discussions regarding defence cooperation and the implementation of the LoC will take place at the highest levels, according to sources.
Sources stressed the importance of India’s growing domestic defence industry, saying that the country is eager to provide services for shipbuilding as well as provide artillery guns, mortars, rockets, and missiles, support vehicles, electronic and engineering equipment, radars, helicopters, and military rakes.
A second source added that Bangladesh may also benefit from India’s experience developing airport and maritime infrastructure.
According to the source, there is also plenty of room for cooperation in high-tech fields like information technology and cyber space, satellite and space technology, maintenance and overhaul, the growth of local defence industries, and training, in which India has expertise and is eager to share it with our neighbours. The insider continued, “Toward this, there may be an increase in military drills as well as more visits at the top military level.”
The fourth tri-Service staff discussions and India-Bangladesh annual defence conversation took place last month, and both parties examined how the Line of Control was being implemented. A lot of attention was also paid to defence industrial cooperation and capabilities development.
Khulna Shipyard Limited of Bangladesh and Garden Reach Ship Builders of Kolkata signed a Memorandum of Understanding in May 2018 to exchange support and know-how for the design and construction of warships.
China has sold Bangladesh weapons, including two traditional diesel electric submarines. China has become one of the world’s leading suppliers of weapons, particularly to nations in India’s immediate neighbourhood.
India has recently greatly increased its military support for capacity building and capabilities development for nations in the Indian Ocean Region in an effort to counter this.
