Why in news? Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline.

Highlights:

• The pipeline will bring diesel from Assam’s Numaligarh refinery’s marketing depot in Siliguri to Parbatipur in northern Bangladesh.
• The project is jointly implemented by the Numaligarh Refinery Limited of India and Meghna Petroleum Limited of Bangladesh.
• The newly inaugurated pipeline stretches 125km inside Bangladesh territory and 5km inside India is significant
• This is the first cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh that Delhi would use and second cross-border energy pipeline between India and its neighbours.
• Bangladesh portion of the pipeline built at a cost of approximately 285 crore, has been borne by the government of India under grant assistance
• Bangladesh is India’s top-most development partner and its largest trade partner in the region.
• The operationalisation of the Friendship Pipeline will enhance ongoing energy cooperation between the two countries and will further growth in Bangladesh, particularly in the agriculture sector.