Inland Water Transit & Trade (PIWT&T) between India and Bangladesh

Newsdesk: An Indian delegation led by Mr. T K Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, Waterways (MoPSW), Government of India visited Dhaka from 18-20 December 2023 and held talks with Bangladesh delegation led by Mr. Md. Mostafa Kamal, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, Government of Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Over the course of the two days, issues about boosting connectivity through inland waterways & coastal shipping were discussed under three separate bilateral meeting mechanism, namely, Shipping Secretary Level Talks, Standing Committee under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit & Trade (PIWT&T) between India and Bangladesh, and the Inter-Governmental Committee on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for movement of goods to and from India (ACMP).

With the larger objective of improving trade and waterways connectivity between the countries and the region, both sides had fruitful discussions on several issues. They made progress on issues that include notifying transshipment ports of call to facilitate ‘Third Country’ trade, and extension of existing ports of call under PIWT&T, among others.

These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss and explore coastal and inland waterway connectivity links between the two countries providing more diversified modes of transport for trade.