Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman met India’s NSA Ajit Doval in New Delhi today. The meeting comes at a time when India–Bangladesh relations are passing through a tense phase following the political crisis triggered by the coup in Dhaka. Dr. Rahman is in India with his delegation to attend the seventh Colombo Security Conclave, and on this occasion, the two NSAs held detailed discussions on several key issues, including CSC-related regional security matters as well as ongoing bilateral differences between India and Bangladesh.
Relations between Dhaka’s current Yunus government and New Delhi have been deteriorating steadily since the coup. Amid this turmoil, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced former Prime Minister and India-friendly leader Sheikh Hasina to death on charges of crimes against humanity, making the situation even more sensitive. Since the coup, Hasina has been in India, living in a safe house, while Dhaka continues to press for her extradition. In her recent media interviews, Hasina sharply criticised the Yunus government, whereas the Bangladeshi government has accused India of protecting her.
Growing extremism in Bangladesh could be used by Pakistan to target India
For India, the challenge is not merely political but security-driven as well. The sudden surge in Islamist radical activities in Bangladesh after the coup, along with several intelligence inputs, has strengthened concerns that Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI may be seeking to exploit the instability. There are also indications that anti-India elements are regaining space under the Yunus administration. For India’s Northeast, this situation poses fresh security challenges, as the strengthening of radical networks in Bangladesh could directly impact India’s eastern border.
Amid this volatile political-security landscape, another major concern for India is the unexpected warmth emerging between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Senior Pakistani military officials and leaders have visited Dhaka, and similar high-level visits from Bangladesh to Pakistan have also taken place. Direct flights and commercial engagement between the two countries have resumed. These developments suggest that Dhaka’s foreign policy is shifting sharply in new directions, carrying possible implications for India’s strategic position.
Dhaka invites Ajit Doval for further talks
The challenges between India and Bangladesh are no longer limited to diplomacy. Since the coup, India’s concerns have grown—border instability, the revival of radical networks, potential ISI infiltration, and the new regime in Dhaka distancing itself from India have all made New Delhi increasingly cautious. This is precisely why today’s meeting becomes more significant. At the end of the meeting, Bangladesh’s NSA also invited Ajit Doval to visit Dhaka, indicating that despite tensions and disagreements, both countries are keen to keep communication channels open.
Given the current geopolitical balance in South Asia, this meeting could influence regional security dynamics in the coming months. With the new power structure emerging in Bangladesh after the coup, Dhaka’s growing proximity to Pakistan, and the rising presence of radical elements, the meeting assumes further importance, as it serves the interests of both nations to address their security concerns through this channel.
