Bangladesh set to sign defence purchase deal with Japan
Tokyo had previously proposed signing an agreement on the transfer of defence equipment and technology between the two Asian nations
Bangladesh is set to sign an agreement with Japan to procure defence equipment with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, who holds the defence portfolio, having already given his consent.
The defence ministry has now sent the document – a copy of which has been seen by The Business Standard – to the Public Security Division, the foreign ministry, the Finance Division, and the Economic Relations Division for their final approval and opinions on the agreement.
Tokyo had previously proposed signing an agreement on the transfer of defence equipment and technology between the two Asian nations.
All three branches of the armed forces – the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, and Bangladesh Air Force – along with the foreign ministry have expressed no objections to the agreement.
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Based on Bangladesh's feedback, Japan revised the draft agreement and has resubmitted it for final consent.
Officials at the defence ministry said Bangladesh and Japan enjoy friendly bilateral relations, which also extend to the armed forces of both countries.
A Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation was signed in April 2023 during a visit by the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, aiming to elevate the existing comprehensive partnership between the two nations to a strategic partnership.
The agreement is expected to further strengthen military ties between the two countries, the officials added.
Japanese military equipment manufacturers have shown interest in selling arms to Bangladesh for several years. Meanwhile, a delegation of Japanese military equipment manufacturers has visited Bangladesh.
Japan requested Bangladesh to sign the agreement during a foreign secretary-level meeting between the two countries held in Dhaka last June.
The United States has also been negotiating with Bangladesh for several years to sign specialised defence pacts – the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and the Acquisition Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA). So far, Bangladesh has expressed interest in signing GSOMIA.
China and Russia remain the primary suppliers of arms to Bangladesh, which also imports weapons from neighbouring India.
As Bangladesh's financial capacity grows, the number of countries interested in selling arms to the nation has also increased. Countries such as Italy, Türkiye, Sweden, and France have been offering arms sales to Bangladesh.
