Why India wants Bangladesh's Tarique Rahman in Delhi

India is actively working to mend its relationship with Bangladesh's new government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and is keen to host him in Delhi.

An unusual email from the Indian president's office earlier this month inadvertently revealed India's eagerness. The message, which was quickly retracted, stated that a Change of Guard ceremony at the presidential palace was canceled due to rehearsals for a ceremonial welcome for Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, despite no official announcement of such a visit. This incident fueled weeks of speculation about a potential visit and underscored India's efforts to bring the new Bangladeshi leader to Delhi.

Rahman has not yet committed to the visit. AAM Saleh, the Bangladeshi prime minister's press secretary, informed the BBC, "No decision has yet been made on the visit."

India is eager to host Rahman for talks, especially as this would be his first visit since his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a landslide victory in parliamentary elections in February. This election ushered in a new political era for Bangladesh, following the ousting of long-time leader Sheikh Hasina in a mass uprising in August 2024, which resulted in hundreds of deaths. Hasina subsequently fled to India, where she has remained.

Relations between India and Bangladesh significantly deteriorated under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, which took power after Hasina's removal. Delhi now hopes Rahman's government presents an opportunity to reset this crucial relationship, though Hasina's continued presence in India complicates matters.

Bangladesh has requested India to extradite Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal for allegedly ordering lethal force against protesters during the uprising. She denies these charges. Saleh stated, "We called for the creation of a propitious environment and are awaiting response from the Indian side regarding expediting extradition of Sheikh Hasina." India has confirmed that the request is under consideration.

Despite this issue, Delhi has made repeated efforts to engage with the new government. A formal invitation was extended to Rahman shortly after he took office, and India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, has held recent discussions with Bangladeshi officials, including the prime minister. Trivedi has expressed that when Rahman visits, it will be a significant moment for both nations.

Such public enthusiasm from India, which typically does not so overtly express its desire to host a neighboring leader, is unusual. Shyam Saran, a former Indian foreign secretary, told the BBC, "I would imagine that there is a degree of frustration [in Delhi] because except for actually handing over Hasina, they have gone pretty far in terms of reaching out to Dhaka."

Saran highlighted India's efforts to address some of Bangladesh's immediate needs, such as providing electricity and fuel and issuing medical visas. Several bilateral mechanisms aimed at facilitating trade have also been reactivated.

Both countries have much at stake. India and Bangladesh share a 4,096km (2,545-mile) border and deep cultural and linguistic ties. Bilateral trade exceeded $12 billion last year, predominantly favoring India. Bangladesh is also vital for India's efforts to improve access to its north-eastern states.

During Hasina's 15-year tenure, the two governments expanded road, rail, and port links, enhancing India's access to its north-east. They also collaborated closely on security, with Hasina's government cracking down on insurgent groups that India claimed were operating from Bangladeshi territory.

However, India's close relationship with the former prime minister became increasingly controversial in Bangladesh, where critics accused Delhi of overlooking concerns about democracy and human rights. Hasina's continued presence in India has kept these tensions alive. They resurfaced on August 5 when Hasina addressed journalists virtually at an event organized by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia in Delhi. She vowed to return to Bangladesh in December and accused Rahman's BNP government of suppressing her supporters.

Bangladesh expressed "outrage" that Hasina was permitted to speak publicly on Indian soil. India's foreign ministry stated it had "no role" in the event and did not "endorse anything said at the forum, especially with regard to the duly constituted government of Bangladesh."

The timing of Hasina's appearance was particularly sensitive. Lailufar Yasmin, a professor at Dhaka University, noted that there were reports Rahman was seriously considering a visit to India before Hasina's address. "It actually created a huge backlash in Bangladesh," she told the BBC. "Questions were raised whether Indian authorities were sincere about a reset in bilateral relationship." Consequently, a visit to Delhi by Rahman while Hasina remains there could carry a political cost domestically.

India's eagerness to mend ties extends beyond the Hasina issue. Since her removal, Bangladesh has also begun rebuilding relations with India's rival, Pakistan. Dhaka and Islamabad have exchanged high-level military visits and publicly discussed expanding defense cooperation, developments closely monitored by Delhi. In the 2000s, India accused Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency of assisting in training Indian north-eastern insurgents in Bangladesh and facilitating their cross-border movement, allegations denied by both Pakistan and Bangladesh at the time.

The recently announced Mecca pact, a defense agreement signed this month by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, three influential Islamic countries, has also garnered interest from several nations, including Bangladesh. While the specifics and obligations of the agreement are unclear, it is modeled on NATO's collective defense principle. Bangladesh's junior foreign minister, Humayun Kabir, told journalists this week, "If there is a security arrangement among Islamic nations in the Middle East, it is not unusual for us to consider participating." He added, "It is being viewed positively." Saudi Arabia has also invited Rahman for a bilateral visit, though it is not clear if Bangladesh has been formally asked to join the defense agreement.

Professor Yasmin advises caution for Dhaka. "Bangladesh should be a bit cautious about entering into any defence pact," she says. "It's not just about antagonising India; Bangladesh needs to wait for a while to see which way it's going and whether it will align with our interests."

For India, these developments signal a shift in its relationship with Bangladesh, indicating that Delhi can no longer assume the exceptionally close ties it enjoyed under Hasina. Rahman's government, meanwhile, has reasons to demonstrate that its foreign policy is not overly reliant on its giant neighbor.

Professor Yasmin suggests Rahman should visit Delhi before the UN General Assembly meeting in New York in mid-September, emphasizing that "Neighbours have to live together."

Another opportunity may arise soon, as India is scheduled to host a BRICS summit in mid-September, and Bangladesh has been invited as a special guest. After weeks of invitations, diplomatic overtures, and one prematurely revealing email, Delhi will be hoping Rahman finally makes the trip.