India planning 5,000km waterways grid connecting Bangladesh
Assamese Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced that the Indian government is planning to develop an Eastern Grid with 5,000kms of navigable waterways connecting neighbours including Bangladesh, reports The Economic Times.
"Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the government is working extensively to develop the Eastern Grid with more than 5,000kms of navigable waterways," Sonowal said.
He added, "The development of this grid will not only boost regional integration and accelerate development but it will further deepen eastern India's trade within BBIN countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal)."
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
India is also engaging with Bangladesh for dredging activities across connecting waterways while linking its own inland waterways network with the neighbourhood's ports, Sonowal expressed.
It would also further amplify India's presence in the southeastern countries, according to him.
Sonowal said, "With the seamless connection between NW-1(Ganga), NW-2(Brahmaputra) and NW-16(Barak), the government is keen to create opportunity via an economic corridor of 3500kms connecting Northeast India with the rest of India, via Bangladesh.
"Eastern Grid can unlock multi-lateral trade potential of $49 billion dollars as Govt remains committed accelerate growth in eastern India," he pointed out.
