BIMSTEC 2025: India and Bangladesh’s top leaders share table at Thai PM’s dinner, raising hopes of long-awaited talks amid strained ties
April 04, 2025 | In a symbolic moment at the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh’s interim Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus were seen seated side by side during the official dinner hosted by Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The images, shared by the official X handle of the Bangladesh Chief Advisor’s Office, have sparked speculation over a possible diplomatic thaw amid deteriorating ties.
According to officials in Dhaka, Yunus and Modi “met each other” during the high-level gathering. The Bangladesh delegation has expressed strong interest in holding a formal bilateral meeting with PM Modi on the sidelines of the summit.
Backdrop of Geopolitical Tension
This meeting comes amid India’s growing concerns over law and order issues, minority safety, and rise of extremist elements in Bangladesh under the Yunus-led interim government, which replaced Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League after its fall in August 2024.
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India’s Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly flagged incidents of violence against Hindus and Ahmadiyyas, exoneration of Islamist elements, and loosened security clearance policies for Pakistani nationals.
In a National Day letter to Yunus, PM Modi had emphasized “mutual sensitivity” and the “shared history” of the Bangladesh Liberation War, hinting at India’s desire for a stable, inclusive, and peaceful Bangladesh.
BIMSTEC Leadership Handover
The 2025 BIMSTEC Chairmanship is set to be officially handed over to Bangladesh on Friday. Chief Advisor Yunus is expected to hold talks with other regional leaders regarding regional cooperation, security, and economic growth.
India’s Concerns Reiterated
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in a meeting with Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain earlier this week in Muscat, reiterated India’s stance against the normalisation of terrorism and called for credible investigations into recent communal violence and arson cases.
With over 2,374 incidents of violence reported since August 2024, of which only 1,254 have been verified by police and 98% labelled “political,” New Delhi has called for greater accountability.
As the summit progresses, all eyes are now on whether PM Modi and Muhammad Yunus will engage in a formal bilateral dialogue that could shape the trajectory of Indo-Bangladesh relations in a post-Hasina era.
Tags: PM Modi, Muhammad Yunus, BIMSTEC Summit 2025, India-Bangladesh relations, Bangkok summit, minority rights in Bangladesh, terrorism in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, BIMSTEC chairmanship, Rohingya issue, Bangladesh interim government, diplomatic tensions, S Jaishankar, South Asia geopolitics, Hindu persecution in Bangladesh