India Reiterates Commitment to Holistic Regional Cooperation Amid Controversy Over Muhammad Yunus’s ‘Landlocked’ Remark on Northeast
In a strong diplomatic rebuttal, India emphasized the need for inclusive and comprehensive regional cooperation following controversial remarks made by Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, during his recent visit to China. Yunus’s description of India’s Northeastern states as “landlocked” and lacking direct access to the sea has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters in India, particularly in the Northeast, and prompted an official response from New Delhi.
During a media briefing on Thursday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar firmly rejected the notion that the Northeastern region of India is “landlocked” in a manner that limits its connectivity potential. Instead, he outlined India’s strategic vision for the area as an emerging hub of transnational connectivity, particularly within the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) framework.
India’s Regional Role and Strategic Vision
EAM Jaishankar highlighted India’s pivotal geographic and geopolitical role in the Bay of Bengal region. “India, after all, possesses the longest coastline in the Bay of Bengal—spanning nearly 6,500 kilometers,” he said, stressing that New Delhi shares land borders with five BIMSTEC member nations and acts as a vital land and maritime bridge connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia.
Jaishankar elaborated on India’s integrated approach to regional connectivity and cooperation, underscoring the country’s commitment to facilitating the seamless movement of goods, services, and people across the region. “Our cooperation is based on an integrated vision of connectivity and development—it is not something to be subjected to selective interpretation or cherry-picking,” he asserted.
The Rising Significance of India’s Northeast
Speaking on the strategic role of India’s Northeast, the External Affairs Minister described the region as a vital node in India’s connectivity matrix. “Our Northeastern states are fast transforming into a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC region,” he explained. “The government has been actively investing in a diverse range of infrastructure projects including roadways, railways, inland waterways, cross-border electricity grids, and pipeline networks.”
This vision directly counters the narrative presented by Muhammad Yunus, who had claimed during his four-day visit to China that India’s Northeastern region is effectively “landlocked” and reliant on Bangladesh for maritime access. Yunus had portrayed Bangladesh as the principal maritime “gateway” to the sea for the Northeastern states and suggested a stronger economic partnership between Dhaka and Beijing while implicitly questioning India’s infrastructural linkages in the region.
Backlash Across India’s Northeast
Yunus’s remarks sparked widespread outrage across India’s Northeastern states, with political leaders and commentators viewing them as both factually inaccurate and diplomatically inappropriate. Prominent leaders from the region publicly condemned the comments, interpreting them as a challenge to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was among the first to issue a strong response. He described Yunus’s statements as “offensive and unacceptable,” arguing that such remarks undermine India’s efforts to develop and integrate the Northeast more deeply with the rest of the country and the broader region.
Sarma also raised alarm over the strategic implications of Yunus’s remarks, which he said could rekindle dangerous historical debates over the so-called “Chicken’s Neck” corridor—a narrow land stretch in West Bengal’s Siliguri region that serves as a critical link between mainland India and its Northeastern states. “There have been elements, both internal and external, who have previously floated alarming suggestions about disrupting or bypassing this corridor. We must redouble our efforts to bolster road and rail connectivity both through and around the Chicken’s Neck to ensure uninterrupted national integration,” Sarma emphasized.
Concerns Over Sovereignty and Regional Influence
Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh also weighed in, expressing deep concern over the geopolitical undertones of Yunus’s comments. Singh warned that such remarks risk portraying India’s Northeast as a strategic pawn in international power plays and questioned the intentions of Bangladesh’s interim leadership. “It is unacceptable for a neighboring country’s senior official to make statements that indirectly question the sovereignty or strategic unity of our nation. These are not just irresponsible—they are provocative,” Singh said.
He further cautioned that Bangladesh’s overtures to China, particularly in framing itself as the “sole maritime guardian” for India’s Northeast, may reflect a deliberate attempt to shift regional dynamics in a way that could marginalize India’s influence in its neighborhood.
India’s Broader Diplomatic Messaging
In his broader remarks, Jaishankar stressed India’s continued commitment to deepening BIMSTEC cooperation, reiterating that India sees this multilateral platform as a cornerstone of regional integration. “We have steadily increased our diplomatic, financial, and logistical engagement with BIMSTEC over the past decade. We understand our responsibilities, not just as a member state but as a regional leader with the means to catalyze economic and infrastructural development across the Bay of Bengal region,” he said.
He further emphasized the importance of viewing regional cooperation through a lens of inclusivity and mutual benefit rather than strategic competition or one-sided dependency.
The recent controversy has once again underscored the delicate balance of regional geopolitics in South Asia, particularly as external powers such as China seek to deepen their influence through bilateral ties with smaller countries in the region. India’s assertive response reflects not just a defense of geographic realities but also a broader statement of its strategic vision for the Northeast and its regional partnerships.
By pushing back against selective narratives and promoting an integrated model of connectivity, India aims to reaffirm its central role in South and Southeast Asian cooperation while safeguarding the interests and identity of its Northeastern state.
