In a strategic decision that India is trying to comprehend, Pak has agreed to gift two old submarines to Bangladesh.
The Pakistan gift would provide the Bangladesh Navy its first underwater capabilties.
NEW DELHI: In a strategic decision that Indian policy planners are trying to comprehend, Pakistan has agreed to gift two of its old submarines to Bangladesh Navy.
Authoritative sources in the establishment told DNA that Pakistani authorities agreed to the gift when Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia visited Pakistan from February 12 to 14 earlier this year.
Pakistani authorities would refurbish and refit two of its old submarines for the Bangladesh Navy under the agreement.
The Pakistan gift would provide the Bangladesh Navy its first underwater capabilities. This raises several questions regarding Bangladesh’s strategic planning and forecast for the region.
As the information begin to trickle down to policy makers here, the new strength of Bangladeshi Navy is bewildering them. But they admit that they will have to ingrain Dhaka’s new strength into Indian strategic plans.
Sources said Pakistan would be refurbishing two of its Daphne class submarines, which are being decommissioned presently, and give it to Bangladesh Navy. Pakistan Navy had acquired four Daphne class submarined from France in 1969-70.
The Daphne class submarine PNS Hangor, which sunk Indian naval ship Khukri during 1971 war, was decommisioned on January 2, 2006 and is reportedly being converted into a museum ship.
Sources said the the two-submarine deal was the high point of Bangaldesh Prime Minister's visit to Pakistan. The deal was kept under wraps, but New Delhi now has authoritative information through its intelligence channels about Pakistan's strategic move.
Pakistan Navy has a small submarine arm and is presently in the process of inducting Agosta-90B submarines from France.
Sources watching Bangladesh are mystified by the move, given its small navy of just over 10,000 personnel. The Bangladesh Navy is limited mostly to coastal patrolling and is getting a modern frigate built in South Korea.
Indian efforts to woo the Bangladesh Navy, with a possible gift of a ship, has not gone too far. Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash had undertaken a visit to Bangladesh in December, and had made several offers including training for its personnel in Indian facilities and assistance on various other fronts.
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