Dhaka: The relationship between Bangladesh and India will not break under any pressure, and will not be a target of any diplomacy, said visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

Narendra Modi received Liberation Award of War Honour on behalf of former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee from Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban.

‘It's a moment of great honour and pride for me and the people of India’, said Modi.

‘A great leader who dedicated his entire life for the service of country, fought for the rights of common man is being honoured today’.

‘Atalji is a source of inspiration for many party workers like me, I express my gratitude to Bangladesh’.

‘If Atalji's health was in good condition and he himself had received this award, this moment would have been even greater’.

‘Under Vajpayeeji's leadership when Jan Sangha organised Satyagraha for Liberation War [War of Independence], I came as a volunteer from my village to Delhi’, Modi added.

‘This war which was full of pride for people of Bangladesh, every Indian also wanted this dream to be realised’.

‘I was also among those million Indians who wanted full heartedly that this dream be realised’.

‘Atalji said, ‘Today for Bangladesh’s freedom the liberation fighters and Indian jawans are fighting side to side shedding their blood’, Modi quoted from a speech that Vajpayee delivered on 6 December 1971.

‘This blood will give rise to a relationship which will not break under any pressure, which will not be a target of any diplomacy’, Modi continued quoting Vajpayee.

 ‘The time has come to renew our commitment and take our relationship forward, the way Vajpayeeji described it, Modi added.

‘By recognising Bangladesh we have taken a step in the right direction, the process of changing history is unfolding before our eyes’.

Narendra Modi arrived in Dhaka on Saturday on a two-day visit to Bangladesh.

India and Bangladesh on Saturday ratified the Land Boundary Agreement in Dhaka as Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina presided over the ceremony of exchange of instruments of ratification of the land swap.