New Delhi, Aug 28(IANS): India and Bangladesh held the ‘Annual Defence Dialogue’ on Monday in Dhaka. During the high-level bilateral talks, India and Bangladesh discussed relations between the two armed forces. It was the fifth ‘Annual Defence Dialogue’ held between the two countries.

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, who is on a two day visit to Bangladesh, for the Annual Defence Dialogue, co-chaired the meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the ‘Annual Defence Dialogue’ between India and Bangladesh is the highest institutionalised interactive mechanism between both the countries. In the dialogue, both the countries highlighted its significance in chartering the future course of the relations between the two armed forces.

MoD said that the ongoing defence cooperation activities between the two countries were reviewed and both sides expressed satisfaction at the increasing defence cooperation engagements.

It said that the talks covered the existing bilateral exercises and both sides agreed to increase the complexity of these exercises.

MoD said that Giridhar Aramane and Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman acknowledged the fruitful dialogue and stressed that both countries look forward to continued engagement based on the common understanding reached at the fifth ‘Annual Defence Dialogue’.

MoD said that the armed forces of both countries continue to seek bilateral cooperation in multiple fields and the increased engagements are a positive sign for the future of the relations of both countries.

In June, General Manoj Pande, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) had also visited Bangladesh. During the visit, the Army Chief met the senior military leadership of Bangladesh where he discussed avenues for further enhancing Indo-Bangladesh defence relations.

Engagements of the Army Chief included, formal interactions with the Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army and the Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division apart from briefings by senior Bangladesh Military officers on bilateral cooperation issues.