External affairs minister S Jaishankar said India-Bangladesh relations can progress only when they serve the interests of both countries, amid tensions over Dhaka’s demand for the extradition of former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum on Saturday, Jaishankar said India does not expect its neighbours to act solely in New Delhi’s interest.
“For any relationship to work, it has to meet the test of mutual interest. It has to work for them, it has to work for us,” Jaishankar said.
He was responding to a question about Bangladesh’s demand for Hasina’s extradition and the possible visit of Bangladesh interim leader Tarique Rahman to India. Jaishankar declined to disclose details of the discussions between the two governments.
The minister stressed that India must recognise and respect the interests of its neighbours while expecting the same in return.
“I’m not expecting neighbours to do only what’s in my interest,” he said, adding that a “fair degree” of mutual understanding is necessary for bilateral relations to function.
Tarique Rahman’s India visit
India has invited Tarique Rahman for a bilateral visit as well as to attend the upcoming BRICS Summit, in his capacity as chair of the BIMSTEC grouping.
A planned visit next week was reportedly postponed at the last minute. According to people familiar with the matter, India and Bangladesh are in touch to arrange the visit later this month or in early September.
Rahman’s visit is being viewed as important for repairing India-Bangladesh ties, which have faced significant strains, with Hasina’s presence in India emerging as a major point of contention.
Jaishankar on Pakistan
Jaishankar also spoke about India’s relationship with Pakistan and said New Delhi cannot ignore public sentiment over terrorism.
He described Pakistan as unique because, according to him, no other country currently uses terrorism “so systematically and in such a sustained manner” against a neighbouring country.
On improving Pakistan-US ties, Jaishankar said India has developed its own relationship with Washington and would assess developments involving other countries according to their implications for Indian security.
He also said India would factor the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye into its security calculations.
‘Peace on border’ crucial for India-China ties
On China, Jaishankar reiterated that peace and stability along the India-China border are essential for improving bilateral relations.
He said the two countries have significant economic interactions and share interests as large economies and participants in global supply chains.
However, he noted that relations went through a difficult phase between 2020 and 2024, primarily because of the situation along the border.
Jaishankar said peace and tranquillity in the border areas remain a prerequisite for good India-China relations.
He also acknowledged concerns about Indian businesspeople facing difficulties in obtaining Chinese visas, saying the issue has been raised with Beijing. He stressed that India needs to strengthen its own capabilities while continuing to engage economically with countries including China.
