◆Swaraj discusses boundary issues with Bangladesh counterpart
【Dhaka】External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on the 26th of June held talks with her Bangladeshi counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on key bilateral issues.
These issues includ Land Boundary Agreement, proposed Teesta river water sharing deal, visa simplification for certain categories as well as cooperation on supply of electricity from a Tripura-based power plant. The Indian side also raised the matter of illegal immigration.
In a major shift in the BJP’s stand, Swaraj seems to have indicated to Bangladesh the government’s willingness to revive the Land Boundary Agreement Bill pending in the Rajya Sabha. The controversial bill proposes to redraw the international boundary between India and Bangladesh through an exchange of enclaves. ○Local interests to govern new air bilateral deals
【New Delhi】The civil aviation ministry is developing an entirely new framework for bilateral air services agreements (ASAs) that will focus more on the needs of domestic carriers.
The ministry has been criticised for granting bilaterals in a manner that causes domestic players like Air India to lose business to foreign competition. Emirates, for instance overtook Air India in 2013 with a 13% market share.
A senior civil aviation ministry official said,“The primary consideration should be: What’s in it for us? There have to be larger economic benefits for the country,” adding that a review of how existing bilaterals had helped had been initiated.
【News source】