PM Modi, Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus hold first talks at BIMSTEC amid diplomatic strains

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on Friday. This was their first official interaction since Yunus took office following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in July 2024. The meeting took place despite initial uncertainty, as Dhaka had requested bilateral talks, but Modi’s official schedule had not confirmed it.

Tensions between India and Bangladesh have escalated in recent months due to allegations of violence targeting Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and India's decision to grant asylum to Sheikh Hasina. Additionally, Yunus’s remarks at China’s Boao Forum for Asia, where he stated that India’s Northeast is "landlocked" and that Bangladesh is the "only guardian of the ocean for this region," further strained diplomatic ties. His statement was countered by Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting, who highlighted that India's Northeast is emerging as a connectivity hub with extensive infrastructure linking it to the Pacific.

The BIMSTEC Summit, hosted by Thailand, is the first in-person meeting of leaders from the regional bloc since 2018. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) includes India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, with a collective population of 1.73 billion and a combined GDP of $5.2 trillion. The summit discussions have focused on economic partnerships, security cooperation, and regional connectivity projects.

Since Hasina’s exit, India-Bangladesh engagements have remained limited, apart from a congratulatory message from Modi to Yunus. The two leaders were also seated next to each other at a dinner hosted for BIMSTEC leaders on Thursday night, indicating diplomatic engagement despite the ongoing tensions.

The meeting comes at a time when both nations are dealing with changing regional dynamics. India has been pushing for greater connectivity initiatives through its Northeast, including the Trilateral Highway project linking India, Myanmar, and Thailand. Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Yunus, is managing shifting domestic and international relations following Hasina’s departure, while India continues to navigate its strategic interests in the Bay of Bengal region.