The Prime Minister of Bangladesh will visit India in July before visiting China

April 30, 2024 8:45 am

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to visit India in early July. India is concerned about the growing bilateral relationship between Dhaka and Beijing, especially in the defense sector. Because China’s weapons are fast becoming the mainstay of Bangladesh’s armed forces.
Sheikh Hasina is likely to have the first bilateral meeting with the newly elected Prime Minister of India. He is also expected to discuss the growing Chinese presence in the strategic sphere of Bangladesh there.

According to high-level sources, the “BNS Sheikh Hasina” submarine base, built last year at Pekua in Chittagong’s Cox’s Bazar district at a cost of $1.2 billion, is the first in Bangladesh to be built with China’s assistance. This has raised concerns in New Delhi. Bangladesh has drawn up a lofty plan to enhance its defense capabilities, as the government embarks on the implementation of the ‘Forces Goal-2030’. It was unveiled in 2009 as the country’s flagship defense policy. The submarine base will house Dhaka’s two submarines – BNS Navajatra and BNS Jayayatra – which were procured from Beijing in 2017.

Sources said India is closely monitoring the developments and believes that every country has its own sovereign right to an independent defense and foreign policy.

But with the growing friendship between Bangladesh and China’s armed forces, Dhaka is bringing Chinese forces closer to India, touching the country’s near-exclusive economic zone.

According to Bangladesh government sources, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants to be the first leader of a bilateral meeting with the new Prime Minister of India and wants to convey in the talks that the ‘Bangladesh government will maintain the strategic balance between India and China, which is very important for establishing peace and prosperity in the Bay of Bengal.’

During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India, the two sides may also discuss Indian arms exports to Bangladesh. Because Dhaka has expressed interest in procuring military hardware from New Delhi. India is keen to sell fighter jets and helicopters to Bangladesh and initial discussions on such a move have already taken place.

Pinak Ranjan Chakraborty, who once served as secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said they want to strike a balance between the two. One hand wants to extend towards India and the other towards China. Judging from the defense side, about 70 percent of their weapons are imported from China and that is how the Chinese entered that country. However, Beijing did not recognize them until 1976. What will Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina do if the Chinese make a port call at the submarine base? This will bring Chinese submarines dangerously close to Indian waters.