According to a statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Bangladesh and India have agreed to boost trade and investment links, including the early start of CEPA negotiations.
Both prime ministers talked about the CEPA during the meeting, State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu told local media.
The joint statement made following the meeting of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi in the third week of June did not include a clear date for beginning talks on the CEPA.
In a statement issued in September 2022, Hasina and Modi welcomed the findings of joint research on the CEPA and decided to begin discussions, stating that the CEPA will benefit both countries.
The Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute and India’s Centre for Regional Trade conducted the analysis, which used trade data from 2015 to 2020.
According to the report, CEPA is predicted to enhance Bangladesh’s exports by 190.15 per cent, with even more potential if transaction costs are lowered through improved connectivity.
India’s exports to Bangladesh are predicted to increase by 188 per cent.
The CEPA will increase Bangladesh’s GDP by 1.72 per cent and India’s by 0.03 per cent, according to the analysis.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
