PM Modi Meets Bangladesh Interim Chief Prof Muhammad Yunus in Bangkok, Reaffirms Support for Peaceful and Inclusive Ties
In a significant diplomatic development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held his first meeting with Prof Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on Friday. This meeting marked the first high-level engagement between the two nations since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during the bilateral interaction, PM Modi conveyed India’s unwavering commitment to supporting a democratic, stable, peaceful, and inclusive Bangladesh. He emphasized India’s readiness to foster a constructive and forward-looking relationship with its eastern neighbor.
A key point of discussion was India’s concern over the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, particularly the Hindu community, which has reportedly faced growing instances of violence in recent months. Modi urged the interim leadership to ensure the protection of minority communities, take decisive action against those responsible for communal atrocities, and uphold the principles of pluralism and inclusivity.
The meeting took place in the presence of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, highlighting its strategic importance. It followed closely after the 20th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting, where India reiterated its regional commitment to enhancing connectivity and cooperation among Bay of Bengal countries.
From the Bangladeshi side, officials described the meeting as “productive, constructive, and fruitful,” noting that a range of sensitive and long-standing issues were addressed. These included the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, her alleged residency in India, and her provocative public statements. Bangladesh also brought up core bilateral issues such as Teesta river water-sharing, renewal of the Ganga water treaty, and border security concerns, particularly about civilian casualties.
Notably, this diplomatic exchange took place a day after Jaishankar offered a firm rebuttal to Prof Yunus’s recent remarks in China, where the interim leader had controversially described India’s Northeast as “landlocked” and claimed that “Bangladesh is the only guardian of the ocean for the region.” Yunus had also pitched for deeper economic integration with China, calling for the creation of an extended trade and production corridor from India’s Northeast through Bangladesh into China.
Jaishankar, in his response during the BIMSTEC gathering, emphasized that “cooperation must be holistic, not selective,” indirectly countering Yunus’s strategic overtures to Beijing. He highlighted India’s increasing role as a connectivity hub for BIMSTEC, pointing to major infrastructure developments like the Trilateral Highway, which aims to link India’s Northeast with Southeast Asia, creating new trade and transit corridors.
He underlined that India’s Northeast region is not isolated but is emerging as a strategic linchpin in the wider Indo-Pacific architecture, thanks to extensive investment in roads, railways, waterways, energy grids, and pipelines. He stressed that regional integration must be inclusive and cooperative and not leveraged for geopolitical bargaining.
India has long been concerned about its narrow Siliguri Corridor—often called the ‘Chicken’s Neck’— which links the Northeast to the rest of the country. As such, cooperation with Bangladesh on transit, connectivity, and security has been central to India’s regional policy over the past 15 years, particularly under Hasina’s previous administration.
However, Yunus’s recent comments and alignment with China have added a layer of complexity to the already delicate bilateral relationship. His framing of Bangladesh as a gateway to the sea for India’s Northeast and his push for Chinese economic partnership have been perceived in Delhi as strategic posturing that could undermine India’s influence and security interests in the region.
Since taking over in August, the interim government in Dhaka has faced criticism from India over issues such as rising communal tensions, attacks on minorities, and the lack of political inclusivity. Delhi has repeatedly urged Bangladesh’s leadership to safeguard its secular fabric and ensure justice for minority communities.
In this context, Friday’s meeting between Modi and Yunus is seen as an attempt to reset strained ties while also laying down red lines and reaffirming India’s long-standing interests in the region. As Bangladesh prepares to take over as the incoming chair of BIMSTEC, the coming months will be crucial in shaping the future of India-Bangladesh relations.
The dialogue in Bangkok, while diplomatically cordial, underscored deeper undercurrents of strategic rivalry, regional connectivity, and ideological divergence. Whether the two sides can find common ground amid shifting alliances remains to be seen.
