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Although progress has been slow on Line of Credit extended in 2018, several types of equipment are under various stages of consideration
Marking some progress on the delayed implementation of the $500 million defence Line of Credit (LoC) extended by India to Bangladesh, Dhaka has recently shared a wish list of military platforms and systems that its armed forces would like to procure from India, according to official sources. This includes a diverse range of equipment, including a floating dock, and logistics ship and oil tanker for the Bangladesh Navy, among others.
Bangladesh is modernising its military, inducting new weapons and improving infrastructure in line with its ‘Forces Goal 2030’. India has the capability to meet a significant part of these requirements, which will also boost defence cooperation between the two countries,” one official source said.
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The LoC extended in 2018 is for utilisation by April 2029. Though progress has been slow, a number of types of equipment are under various stages of consideration, the source noted.
Talking of the wish list, the source said that the Bangladesh Army has approved procurement of three items, so far, under the LoC — five Bridge Layer Tanks (BLT-72) at a cost of approximately $10 million; seven portable steel bridges (Bailey) at a cost of around $2.2 million; and 11 Mine Protective Vehicles from the Tata Group at an approximate cost of $2.2 million.
Other items proposed to be procured by the Bangladesh Army are Mahindra XUV 500 off-road vehicles; door hard top vehicles from Mahindra at an approximate cost of $2.35 million; heavy recovery vehicles; armoured engineer reconnaissance vehicles; and bullet proof helmets. Other proposals include modernisation and extension of automobile assembling unit for a Bangladesh machine tools factory, which is a proposal from Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Private Limited; two types of explosives at a cost of over ₹4 crore; 21 types of raw materials at a cost of around ₹3 crore; and 10 types of tools at a cost of ₹6.6 crore.
The Bangladesh Navy has proposed the procurement of a logistics ship, floating dock, oil tanker, and an ocean-going tug, the source stated.
Defence cooperation and the implementation of the LoC will come up for discussed at the highest levels during the ongoing visit in India of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, sources said.