New Delhi [India], October 7 (ANI): India reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining stable and collaborative neighbourly relations, emphasising that its diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh remains rooted in a positive, people-centric vision aimed at mutual growth and regional development.
Addressing a press briefing on bilateral ties and regional cooperation, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal outlined New Delhi's constructive framework for diplomatic discussions with Dhaka.
Jaiswal underscored that India continues to prioritise practical collaboration and shared economic progress in its high-level dialogues with Bangladeshi authorities, focusing on initiatives that directly benefit the citizens of both nations.
"Our approach towards Bangladesh is to have positive, constructive, and forward-looking engagement with a people-centric focus for mutual growth and prosperity," Jaiswal stated. "We remain focused on this objective during our discussions with Bangladesh authorities."
The Spokesperson's remarks reflect India's steady strategic posture in the neighbourhood, prioritising sustained economic integration, infrastructural connectivity, and diplomatic stability across shared borders.
Earlier on Saturday, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi stated Saturday that former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina's arrival in New Delhi two years ago was “unexpected”, emphasising that the Indian military played no role in flight arrangements.
Speaking at the Bay of Bengal Conversation in Dhaka, an event organised by a local think tank Centre for Governance Studies, Trivedi addressed queries regarding her legal status and ongoing extradition discourses.
Addressing demands concerning her legal status and extradition, Trivedi stated, "Hasinaji was not brought to India by the Indian Air Force or the Indian Army." He further noted, "It so happened because of the tragic circumstances in Bangladesh during that time. We hope and pray that should never happen, where innocent people get killed, doesn’t matter in which part of the world."
The High Commissioner noted that Indian authorities were caught unawares by the sudden development.
"The military aircraft came to India… India was not prepared. I was watching on television, and the scroll was coming that she was going to some other country. At that point, Hasinaji was still the prime minister of Bangladesh. We had hardly any choice on that. It was our duty as a neighbour to accept the reality of life. Because situations are such that at times you are not prepared for such."
"What was our [India’s] choice?" Trivedi asked, noting that withholding "landing permission" could have fundamentally altered the evolving situation. He pointed out that both nations function as vibrant democracies, observing that the respective "legal systems" are actively examining matters concerning bilateral legal procedures.
An initial formal extradition request was submitted in December 2024 by the interim administration, followed by repeated calls from the administration of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, which assumed office after the February 2026 general elections.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman reiterated this demand during talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar earlier this year, and Prime Minister Rahman raised the issue when Trivedi paid a courtesy call in August. (ANI)
India seeks 'positive, constructive, and forward-looking' engagement with Bangladesh: MEA
