PM Narendra Modi's Dhaka trip to focus on land pact

NEW DELHI: Teesta will remain a bridge too far when Narendra Modi meets Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka next week. The big item on the agenda will be exchange of instruments of ratification of the land boundary agreement, which settles India's border on the eastern front, a huge development by itself. It will not only change India's relations with Bangladesh, but also has the potential of rewriting the South Asian story.
In an interview to a daily, the PM said, "We had settled the long pending land boundary issues with Bangladesh by taking all parties into confidence. The media has not realised this massive achievement and is talking of other issues. Had this been elsewhere in the world, it would have been cited as an example as big as the fall of the Berlin Wall. The entire mood of our neighbourhood has changed dramatically because of our message of shared prosperity being implemented on the ground. Mine is practical and outcome-based diplomacy."
During his visit, Modi will send a strong message that India will go to great lengths to strengthen the hand of Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh. That will be the overarching theme of his visit. Hasina has been more than a good neighbour in terms of cooperating with India on the one front that matters — security. This, in effect, is payback time for India.
By placing West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee virtually in the driver's seat on India's Bangladesh outreach, Modi ensured that this mercurial leader remains on the right side. In 2011, Mamata killed Manmohan Singh's only visit to a neighbouring country by boycotting the Teesta agreement at the last minute as well as refusing to accompany him. This time, Mamata will accompany Modi and will be present for the main discussions with Hasina. Modi has promised to make West Bengal the lynch-pin of India's "Act East" policy.
In this case, sources said Mamata has signaled approval on Teesta, but the final agreement will have to wait until state elections in 2016.
As the union cabinet cleared a slew of agreements with Bangladesh, sources said India is sending a definite indication that it wants to integrate economies, through ports and connectivity. The "transit" word has been removed from the India-Bangladesh discourse because of sensitivities.
The Indian government is also exploring possibilities of Modi making a land crossing at Petrapole to emphasize the connectivity narrative. He is also expected to flag off a third bus service between Dhaka and Shillong.
On sharing of Teesta waters, while discussions have been held by both sides as also between the Centre and West Bengal government, it's unlikely to be sealed this time round.