Japan will provide patrol vessels to Bangladesh as part of the country’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) program, an initiative to assist economic and social growth in developing countries through armed forces modernization and development.
The grant for the vessels is reported to be worth 575 million yen ($3.8 million).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has stated that the vessels will serve as assets for the Bangladesh Navy’s maritime monitoring and surveillance, as well as disaster relief missions.
One of Japan’s strategic partners, Bangladesh is located in the Bay of Bengal, an important sea lane for international economic relations.
OSA’s International Impact
Bangladesh is the second country to receive aid through the OSA program, with the Philippines receiving a 600-million yen ($4 million) grant recently to enhance its coastal security.
The OSA framework is a part of Japan’s revised National Security Strategy, established in 2022 to assist countries in the region to build a “comprehensive defense architecture” amid ongoing disputes over national territories.
Japan is considering Malaysia and Fiji as the next countries to receive defense grants, with Vietnam and Djibouti classified as potential recipients in the coming fiscal year.