India and Bangladesh have come a long way in nurturing strategic and defence relationships and these bonds are gradually growing

In another demonstration of the close defence and military ties between the two countries, Bangladesh Navy Ship (BNS) Prottoy visited Mumbai on Sunday.

The ship commanded by Captain Ahamed Amin Abdullah with a crew of 137 personnel was given a ceremonial welcome by the Indian Navy when it docked at the Mumbai Port Trust.

Due to COVID-19 imposed restrictions, routine courtesy call-ons, social get togethers, exchange visits and other sports fixtures between the visitors and host naval personnel were avoided, the Ministry of Defence said today.

According to the ministry, this visit of BNS Prottoy to Mumbai is significant in the backdrop that the two countries celebrated 50 years of Bangladesh independence recently. To commemorate the occasion, for the first time, a marching contingent and military band from Bangladesh participated in India’s Republic Day Parade this year.

Since the formation of Bangladesh in 1971, both India and Bangladesh have come a long way in nurturing strategic and defence relationships and these bonds are gradually growing in mutual trust and confidence.

In October last year, the second edition of Exercise Bongosagar, the bilateral maritime drill between the Indian Navy and Bangladesh Navy, was held in the Northern Bay of Bengal.

It aimed at developing interoperability and joint operational skills by conducting a wide spectrum of maritime exercises and operations.

This was followed by the third edition of the Indian Navy-Bangladesh Navy Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT).