Aiyar, a member of Rajya Sabha and former federal minister, will visit Dhaka and Chittagong to explore opportunities to expand business ties between India's Northeastern states and Bangladesh. More than 20 businessmen are expected to accompany Aiyar who will hold structured talks with Bangladesh Industry Minister Dilip Barua and Commerce Minister Faruk Khan.
The Indian team is also expected to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Sources said some Indian officials will also accompany Aiyar. Improving connectivity between landlocked Northeastern states of India and Bangladesh has been a priority for New Delhi.
The delegation will leave from Kolkata by a Bangladesh Biman flight. As Minister for Northeastern region in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh government between 2004-09, Aiyar has a special love for the development of the Northeast.
According to Aiyar, a key reason for the relative backwardness of the North- East India is lack of proper connectivity and trade relations with neighbouring countries. "The part of the region or the relative backwardness of the North- East is that nearly 98 per cent of the frontiers of the North-East constitutes the international frontier of India and only 2 per cent of the frontier of the North-East is connected with the rest of the country, what in journalistic language called Chicken's Neck".
The Indian delegation is expected to return on July 14.