Mumbai – The Export-Import Bank of India is the foremost lending institution giving heft to India’s infrastructure diplomacy in South Asia region and globally. Export-Import Bank. 

Of all the neighbouring countries, Bangladesh has emerged as the major partner with which India’s infrastructure development engagement has broadened both in terms of finance and nature of projects, according to N. Ramesh, Deputy Managing Director, Export-Import Bank of India.

“Bangladesh, amongst South Asian countries, has the highest level of exposure. Around $7.9 billion (LOCs) is what we have today,” said Ramesh.

In recent years, the focus has been on power generation and power transmission lines as well as development of a nuclear power plant where Russian entities are also engaged, said Ramesh.

“The biggest project that we have supported is in Bangladesh, that is the power plant, a joint venture of the Bangladeshi power generating company and NTPC. We are looking at adding huge capacity or generating capacity in Bangladesh and the financing is done by India,” said Ramesh.

The eastern neighbour is very important from a connectivity and strategic perspective, with India assisting in railway and port infrastructure as well.

The country’s ports gives a much shorter access to India’s Northeast states and Bank has been focused on funding the upgradation and development of key ports and their linkages with railways.

Indian entities are set to undertake the upgradation of Mongla Port in Bangladesh, the second largest port in the neighbouring country, financed out of LOC extended by EXIM Bank.