India Reaffirms Push For Constructive Ties With Bangladesh

Synopsis

The Ministry of External Affairs on September 22 reiterated its desire for "positive, constructive and forward-looking" relationship with Bangladesh in response to queries relating to the presence of Bangladeshi forces in a multinational air exercise and the possibility of a meeting between the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Bangladesh's Prime Minister at the UN General Assembly in New York. The declaration has been made in the backdrop of the ongoing tensions surrounding the extradition motion for the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Statement

On the trajectory of the India-Bangladesh relationship, we have said this in the past as well, that India wants a positive, constructive and forward-looking relationship with Bangladesh and we are ready to discuss all issues, bilateral issues, in the structured mechanism we have right now," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a briefing to reporters in New Delhi on September 22.

He was answering questions on the status of ties and whether Dhaka was participating in a military exercise later this month, which was being held in another part of the world, is an indication of thaw.

The Indian Air Force is hosting the multilateral air exercise 'Tarang Shakti' at the Jodhpur Air Force Station from 26th to 12th September, which Bangladesh is among seven foreign countries participating.

When asked if this was an indicator of better relations, Jaiswal restated the same line of thought as in past briefings. In an eventual event of a meeting between Jaiswal and the Bangladesh leadership during the meeting of UN General Assembly in New York, Jaiswal said that he could not give any information on the possibility of a meeting but would keep updating them if there were developments.

The Extradition Backdrop

The relationship between the two countries has been on the rough side since a virtual media interaction between former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and his New Delhi counterpart, Rajapaksa, in early August, to which Dhaka responded with a stinging reaction.

Bangladesh again called for Hasina's extradition and made an attempt to make a connection with the possible Bangladesh's official visit to India after the interaction. India has said again and again that the requests for extradition are being looked at and considered within the legal framework and New Delhi has not organised nor endorsed Hasina's press interaction.

India wants positive, constructive and forward looking relations with Bangladesh on the basis of mutual interest and reciprocity, says Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.

Why It Matters

The relationship between India and Bangladesh is not only political, it is economic and security-related as well, and regional connectivity between the Northeast with the neighbouring states is also a factor.

The use of the same almost-identical wording in MEA briefings indicates a strategic policy of diplomacy—maintaining lines of communication but refraining from conceding on the extradition issue.

Points to be taken away from Dhaka's transition since 2024 is that predictability is the priority over warmth for the foreign policy establishment in New Delhi, analysts tracking the South Asian diplomacy noted.

Outlook

Both the Tarang Shakti exercise and the UNGA are informal avenues for engagement without a formal summit, beginning on September 26.

A meeting between Jaishankar and Rahman will be closely monitored to gauge if the “structured mechanisms” alluded to by Jaiswal are being actively used or kept as a contingency.