India has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March 2021, with which of the following countries on cooperation in the field of Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation?

Correct — option (3), Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a State Visit to Bangladesh on 26–27 March 2021. The joint statement issued in Dhaka on 27 March 2021 lists the bilateral documents that "were signed and exchanged during the visit".

The first item on that list is the "MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation".

In paragraph 47 of the same statement, "Both sides welcomed the signing of an MoU on Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation, noting that this would augment institutional cooperation in mitigating natural disasters."

The statement says the visit was made to join the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.

The idea to remember: India's March 2021 MoU on disaster management, resilience and mitigation was signed with Bangladesh, during the Prime Minister's visit to Dhaka.

Why the others are wrong

• (1)
  Bhutan — Bhutan is not a party to this MoU. The document was signed between India and Bangladesh during the Dhaka visit of March 2021.

  Bhutan appears in the same joint statement in connection with sub-regional connectivity: the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement was to begin with Bangladesh, India and Nepal, "with provision for Bhutan to join at a later date".

• (2)
  Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka is not a party to this MoU. The joint statement of 27 March 2021 that records its signing was issued by India and Bangladesh at the end of Prime Minister Modi's State Visit to Bangladesh.

  The statement lists five bilateral documents signed and exchanged during that visit.

• (4)
  Nepal — Nepal is not a party to this MoU, which India signed with Bangladesh in Dhaka in March 2021.

  Nepal is named in the same joint statement in another context, sub-regional cooperation: both sides agreed to strengthen it, "including with Nepal and Bhutan", with cooperation in energy underscored, and to operationalise the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement for Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between two governments records an agreed framework for cooperation in a named field.

The India–Bangladesh joint statement of 27 March 2021 lists five bilateral documents signed and exchanged during Prime Minister Modi's visit. The MoU on Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation heads the list.

The statement says the MoU would "augment institutional cooperation in mitigating natural disasters".

Key facts

• 26–27 March 2021: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a State Visit to Bangladesh.
• The joint statement issued in Dhaka on 27 March 2021 lists the MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation first among documents signed.
• Five bilateral documents were signed and exchanged during the visit, including an MoU between the National Cadet Corps of the two countries.
• The visit was made to join the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's independence, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of India–Bangladesh diplomatic relations.
• In the same statement, India expressed optimism that Bangladesh would join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Common traps

• Treating any neighbour as the partner: Nepal and Bhutan are named in the same joint statement in connection with sub-regional cooperation, not as parties to the MoU.
• Mixing up the MoU with the CDRI: the MoU is bilateral, while India only expressed optimism that Bangladesh would join the CDRI.
• Losing the date: the MoU was signed during the visit of 26–27 March 2021, the month the stem names.

UnlockIAS will link similar questions from RAS Pre 2018 here once that paper is published on this site.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State Visit to Bangladesh on 26–27 March 2021 was made to join the celebrations of which anniversary of Bangladesh's independence?

  • (a)25th (Silver Jubilee)
  • (b)40th (Ruby Jubilee)
  • (c)50th (Golden Jubilee)
  • (d)60th (Diamond Jubilee)
  Answer(3) — The India–Bangladesh joint statement of 27 March 2021 says the visit was to join the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh, which became independent in 1971. Options (1), (2) and (4) name other anniversaries.
• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which passenger train service on the Dhaka–New Jalpaiguri–Dhaka route, through the Chilahati–Haldibari rail link, was listed among the projects inaugurated during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Bangladesh in March 2021?

  • (a)Maitree Express
  • (b)Bandhan Express
  • (c)Mitali Express
  • (d)Samjhauta Express
  Answer(3) — Paragraph 61 of the joint statement of 27 March 2021 lists the inauguration of the Mitali Express on the Dhaka–New Jalpaiguri–Dhaka route. Options (1) and (2) are the names of other India–Bangladesh trains (Kolkata–Dhaka and Kolkata–Khulna), and option (4) ran between India and Pakistan.