India, Bangladesh ink 22 pacts in key sectors; Teesta agreement elusive

New Delhi: India and Bangladesh on Saturday signed 22 pacts in key sectors including defence and civil nuclear but the long-pending Teesta waters sharing agreement remained elusive though Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his government's commitment for an “early solution”.

Modi said the pact is important for Indo-Bangla relationship and expressed hope that the West Bengal Chief Minister will eventually support it.

The two countries also agreed to confront challenges of terrorism with deeper security and defence cooperation with Modi terming spread of radicalism as a “grave threat”, not only to the two countries but to the entire region.

On her part, Hasina, on a visit here after seven years, said her country will continue its zero-tolerance policy towards terror and promised to take all steps to ensure peace and security along Indo-Bangla border.

Later, hitting out at Pakistan, Modi said it breeds, inspires and encourages terrorism and this “thought” is a roadblock to peace within the region and the world.

“There is one thought in South Asia which breeds, inspires and encourages terrorism. The thought whose priority is not humanity, but extremism and terrorism,” he said, without naming Pakistan.