US Assistant Secretary Robert Blake has said they see quite an important strategic opportunity now to build on the progress that India has made with Bangladesh over the last four years to increase not only their trade but counter-terrorism and other forms of cooperation. “…to build on that by now setting up a lot of these networks that will go through Myanmar, through India’s northeast, and then down again to all of the countries in Southeast Asia,” he said.
The US official on Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said this during interaction with media in recently held US-India Strategic Partnership, according to US State Department.
Blake said: “I’m always struck that when I go to Bangladesh, for example, that they’re very focused not simply on the East-West connectivity, but also on the North-South connectivity, and they always point out that, for example, the daily flights now between Dhaka and Kunming are full in both directions with traders.”
So it does underline that there are important connections to be made as well that way, he said adding, “I think it’s interesting that India has also emphasised that connectivity and opportunity with China.” (Source: UNB)
