India today said that Bangladesh has nothing to fear from giving it transit rights to access its land-locked north-eastern states, saying it is only for "peaceful purposes."
"There is nothing to be feared by giving these transit. Transit is only for peaceful purposes," said External Affairs Minister SM Krishna in reply to a question at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.
He said if Bangladesh gives connectivity to India through its territory, the latter stands to gain in terms of market access to the northeastern Indian states.
Krishna was responding to a question about fears in Bangladesh that India would use the transit right to transport weapons to northeastern states where it had unresolved boundary problem with China and the insurgency.
In reply to another question, Krishna dispelled the perception in a section of Bangladesh about alleged anti-Bangladesh sentiments in India and asked "having being responsible for the birth of a nation, can we act against that country?"
He said there are hostile elements on either side and it is the responsibility of the governments of both countries to convey the message that they would work together for development.
Krishna said India and its neighbours should not be seen as "big boat, small boat syndrome".
"India's big size should not be held against it," he said.