India seeks strong ties with Bangladesh: Rajnath Singh
Published: 09 March 2025, 1:13:15
India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has reaffirmed India’s commitment to maintaining a strong relationship with Bangladesh and stated that India always aims for strong ties with its neighbors.
He made these remarks during an exclusive interview with Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) on Monday.
“We always strive to maintain good relations with our neighbors because, as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, ‘We can change our friends, but we cannot change our neighbors.’ Therefore, we want to maintain a strong relationship with Bangladesh,” said Rajnath Singh.
The statement comes amid political shifts in Bangladesh. On August 5, the Awami League government, led by Sheikh Hasina, stepped down following mass student protests, and an interim government under Dr. Muhammad Yunus took charge.
During this transition, India has expressed concerns over law and order in Bangladesh.
At a weekly press briefing in New Delhi on Friday, India’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal voiced India’s concerns over Bangladesh’s deteriorating security situation.
“We support a stable, peaceful, inclusive, and progressive Bangladesh, where all issues are resolved through democratic means and participatory elections,” Jaiswal stated.
India has particularly raised concerns about the release of individuals convicted of serious crimes and violent extremism, warning that it could further destabilize the country.
India has also highlighted concerns about violence against Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh.
“We expect Bangladesh to conduct thorough investigations into all acts of murder, arson, and violence, without any discrimination, and bring all perpetrators to justice,” Jaiswal emphasized.
He reiterated that protecting Hindus and other religious minorities, along with their properties and places of worship, is the responsibility of Bangladesh’s interim government.
Last month, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Tawhid Hossain in Oman. During the meeting, Jaishankar reportedly conveyed that terrorism should not be normalized in Bangladesh.
