Dhaka has managed to maintain a good balance between India and China, and has played the regional power politics to its benefit.
Author
Gunjan Singh, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Summary
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra recently visited Bangladesh and met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This is the first top-level visit to Bangladesh after the re-election of Haisna, and the formation of the government in January. The recent talks focussed on security, water, neighbourhood, connectivity, energy, power, and co-operation. The visit was to underscore the closeness between the two countries and reassert New Delhi’s ‘neighbourhood-first’ policy — and Dhaka’s centrality to its success.
However, given the developments in the last few months, it is becoming quite apparent that India is again trying to react and manage the growing Chinese inroads in Bangladesh and South Asia. Given the reactionary nature of India’s overtures, the question remains if these are too little too late. Dhaka has managed to maintain a good balance between India and China, and has played the regional power politics to its benefit.
However, one needs to ponder how long will it be able to continue with this policy. A lot is being speculated over whether Hasina will visit India or China first. She has invitations from both neighbours.
One of the major areas of concern for New Delhi is the growing debt challenge in the South Asian region.
Published in: Deccan Herald
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