ANI | Updated: May 11, 2022 03:18 IST

Dhaka [Bangladesh], May 11 (ANI):China, being one of the largest defense suppliers of Bangladesh, is wary ofDhaka diversifying its defense supplies and acquiring quality defense itemsfrom India, Europe and the US. China exports 19 per cent of its total arms toBangladesh and the COVID-19 surge has hit Chinese defense supplies toBangladesh, reported Bangladesh Live News.

Bangladesh Navy has reportedlycomplained to Chinese companies supplying spare parts for its corvettes, petrolcrafts and inshore patrol vehicles about manufacturing defects and technicalproblems.

These naval ships were purchasedunder the China-Bangladesh Defense Contract signed in 2011, reported BangladeshLive News.

M/s NORINCO, China, too apparentlyconveyed its inability to supply spare parts of main battle tanks that had beenpurchased from China in 2012 and 2013 ostensibly due to the COVID-19 situation.

In related developments, BangladeshNavy too has reportedly highlighted to China Vanguard Industry Co Limited theincreasing cost of defense items even as prices of defense items purchased fromEuropean and US Defense companies were reducing, Bangladesh Live News.

China was worried over thesedevelopments and was allaying Bangladeshi defense concerns about the increasein price and low-quality defense items, reported Bangladesh Live News.

Since Dhaka procured over 70 per centof its arms from China in 2014-2018, Beijing was apprehensive about theBangladesh Defense Forces' dissatisfaction with the quality of supplies and itsdefense pricing.

Beijing is also concerned overDhaka's proposed purchase of defence-related items from India under the USD 500million Line of Credit.

India had, in 2019, provided asimilar amount of Line of Credit to Bangladesh for defence-related procurementto successfully implement the modernization Programme of Bangladesh ArmedForces "Forces Goal 2030", reported Bangladesh Live News. (ANI)