Indian FM leaves for Bangladesh for two-day visit

Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh left for Bangladesh Saturday for a two-day visit aiming to recharge India-Bangladesh ties and talk about issues like trade, terrorism and border management.

Indo-Asian News Service reported Saturday that the visit, the first since the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance

government came to power in India last year, is sending a clear message that New Delhi is keen to improve its relations with Dhaka that have been strained of late.

Natwar Singh will also set the stage for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka for the 13th SAARC summit in November this year.

Singh will meet Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, his Bangladesh counterpart M. Morshed Khan and Finance Minister Saifur Rehman.

Analysts here noted that New Delhi is keen on an early settlement of all boundary related matters with Bangladesh in accordance with the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement of 1974.

Source: Xinhua