Published: 12:00 AM, 22 April 2026
Positive Signs in India-Bangladesh Relations
In a major diplomatic move, which does not seem to be a routine or an ordinary exercise, the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Khalilur Rahman arrived in New Delhi on April 7 on a goodwill visit and met the Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on the same day followed by a dinner engagement. On April 8, the visiting Foreign Minister was expected to meet his Indian counterpart S Jayashankar to hold a wide range of bilateral talks. Other than meeting the Indian Foreign Minister, Khalilur Rahman was also scheduled to hold meetings with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Later, the Indian and Bangladesh Foreign Ministers were also slated to travel together from New Delhi to Mauritius to attend the Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius from 10 to 12 April. The visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister is accompanied by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s adviser on Foreign Affairs, Humayun Kabir.
This visit is being seen as a clear signal on part of both India and Bangladesh to recalibrate their ties which needed a boost and a repair as it suffered a severe damage ever since Sheikh Hasina quit power and the interim government was in place for Dhaka for nearly one and half years. There is immense excitement and hope in the Bangladesh polity over the attempts to bring in a positive thaw in the bilateral relationship which was long overdue. According to several editorials appearing in the Dhaka print media and many talk shows in the electronic channels, the recent diplomatic engagements between Dhaka and New Delhi are certainly promising, signaling a determined effort to reset and revitalize a relationship that has long been central to Bangladesh’s foreign policy.
According to Dhaka Tribune (a very credible English daily), India has historically been one of Bangladesh’s closest allies, with ties rooted in shared history, geography, and economic interdependence. Over the years, cooperation has expanded across sectors -- from trade and connectivity to energy and security. Yet, recent political transitions and fledgling bilateral irritants have seen some elements of strain, underscoring the need to improve relations. In this context, the renewed push for engagement is a welcome development. Constructive dialogue, such as discussions on energy cooperation and cross-border infrastructure, signifies a will to move beyond the past hiatus and focus on tangible outcomes. Plans for further high-level visits and continued diplomatic exchanges seem imperative amid a time of considerable global uncertainty, economic volatility, shifting geopolitical alignments, and energy insecurity, making regional cooperation a must. For Bangladesh, a stable relationship with India can provide critical support in areas including in energy, trade diversification, and regional connectivity. And, for India too, according to a large section of Bangladesh media, the latter remains a crucial partner in ensuring stability and growth in South Asia.
Some analysts, however, feel that the success of this new chapter will depend on more than diplomatic intent. It will require a balanced approach. Transparency, consistency, and people-centric policies will be key in rebuilding trust. At a time when global challenges demand regional solidarity, a renewed Bangladesh-India partnership could prove to be both timely and transformative and their collaborative efforts could possibly see a more constructive and meaningful role to resolve tensions in South Asia in particular.
Crucially, some political commentators including prominent columnist Rishi Suri opine that India has observed the developments carefully but with cautious optimism. The hard reality is that India has expectations from the new Bangladeshi leadership. History also suggests that Tarique Rahman is unlikely to be disappointed if he chooses to work with India as a trusted partner. Bangladesh’s recent election itself represents a major turning point. The BNP secured 212 out of 300 parliamentary seats. The emergence of a new political leadership in Dhaka does not simply represent a change of government, it gives an opportunity to redefine most significant bilateral relationship. India also needs to capitalize on this in the larger interest of both the countries.
It is worth a recall that few bilateral relationships in the region are as deep or historically rooted as the one between India and Bangladesh. The bonding is fundamentally shaped by the events of 1971 when India played a decisive role in Bangladesh’s liberation from Pakistan, supporting the Mukti Bahini and helped establish an independent Bangladesh. That shared history continues to form the emotional and strategic foundation of ties. Today, the relationship is not merely historical or symbolic, it is deeply economic, strategic and people-centric. India is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner in South Asia, while Bangladesh has emerged as one of India’s fastest growing export markets. In the financial year 2023-24, bilateral trade reached approximately $14 billion, with Indian exports accounting for about $12 billion and Bangladeshi exports nearly $2 billion.
This economic exchange reflects the scale of interdependence between the two economies. For Bangladesh’s economy, this relationship has tangible benefits. India supplies a wide range of critical inputs to Bangladesh’s export industries, particularly the globally significant ready-made garment sector. More than 80% of Bangladesh’s cotton yarn imports come from India, making Indian raw materials crucial for Bangladesh’s textile industry which employs millions of workers and drives the country’s export earnings. The partnership goes far beyond trade. Over the past decade, India has extended more than $7.3 billion in concessional lines of credit to Bangladesh, the largest development assistance India has offered to any country. These funds have helped finance railways, bridges, energy infrastructure, and port connectivity projects across Bangladesh.
Yet, another example is the Akhaura-Agartala railway line is a cross-border project designed to significantly reduce travel time between Kolkata and India’s northeastern states while boosting trade and tourism. Similarly, the Maitri Setu bridge linking Tripura with Bangladesh provides India’s northeastern states direct access to the Chittagong port, reducing time and logistics costs and expanding regional commerce. Energy cooperation is another pillar of the relationship. The Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline, inaugurated in 2023, transports petroleum products from India to northern Bangladesh, helping stabilize Bangladesh’s fuel supply while strengthening regional energy integration. India is also exporting electricity to Bangladesh through cross-border power grids, contributing to Bangladesh’s growing energy needs.
Significantly, in March 2026, India released around 5,000 tons of diesel to Bangladesh under the existing bilateral supply arrangement, helping ensure stability in Bangladesh’s fuel supply at a critical time. India must see stability and prosperity in Bangladesh as a strategic priority. A stable Bangladesh contributes to security in India’s northeast, enhances connectivity with Southeast Asia and strengthens regional economic growth across the Bay of Bengal region.
While details of the deliberations between both the Foreign Ministers are yet to reach us, by the time this opinion piece hits the stands, things could be more clear. The two countries must continue to enhance cooperation in sharing of valuable and actionable information and also collaborate on anti-terror measures with increased professional cooperation. In sum, the gains of this visit and the Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s talks with his Indian counterpart as also with the Indian National Security Adviser, merits consolidation to take the decisions forward for further amelioration of bilateral ties with new dynamism leaving no stones unturned to allow the warmed-up ties to be complacent.
Dr Shantanu Mukharji is a
retired IPS officer and former
National Security Advisor
in Mauritius.
