India Talks Energy Cooperation with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka

India on Saturday held bilateral meetings with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and conveyed its commitment to further energy cooperation.

Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan held bilateral talks with Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, BB, Energy Adviser to PM of Bangladesh and Anoma Gamage, Deputy Minister of Petroleum Resources Development of Sri Lanka in Bhubaneshwar, capital of eastern Indian state of Odisha.

The two dignitaries were invited to participate in the ceremony at Paradip where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be dedicating to the nation the Indian Oil refinery on Sunday. 

With the commissioning of the Paradip refinery, Pradhan said that India would be once again in a position to export petroleum products to Bangladesh. He also expressed keenness of India in setting up of marketing infrastructure in Bangladesh. He also sought favourable consideration for transit of LPG to India’s North Eastern region through territory of Bangladesh.

Pradhan during his meeting with Gamage discussed the issues such as expansion of activities of Lanka IOC, in Sri Lanka, including in the retail business, bunkering and marketing of ATF and LPG. Lanka IOC is a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation. He reiterated the commitment made by Hon’ble Prime Minister to work with Sri Lanka to make Trincomalee a regional energy hub. He expressed India’s interest in establishing refinery and bunkering operations in Sri Lanka.