2024-08-06 09:29:40
New Delhi : Although the youth of Bangladesh are seeing the end of Sheikh Hasina’s rule in Bangladesh as a new freedom and are celebrating it on social media. But Sheikh Hasina’s departure is being considered a big setback for India. Experts believe that there is a fear that Sheikh Hasina’s departure will further boost anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh. However, the Bangladesh army has taken over and the Bangladesh Army has good relations with the Indian Army. BSF is deployed on the India-Bangladesh border but the Indian Army is also on alert in view of the current situation in Bangladesh.
Always kept India’s strategic interests in mind
Foreign Affairs Expert Parul Chandra says that Sheikh Hasina’s departure is a big setback for India because since the last 15 years when she was the Prime Minister, India-Bangladesh relations were very good. She took great care of India’s strategic-security interests. Whatever steps she took, if they were related to India, she took them keeping in mind India’s strategic interests. Whereas India could not give them the Teesta Agreement even in so many years. This created a very difficult situation for them at the domestic level because other political parties and the public there repeatedly raised the issue of when the Teesta water would come to Bangladesh. Still, they gave India whatever India wanted from their side, whether it was connectivity, security, trade or driving away the insurgents from the North East.
Foreign affairs expert Parul says that China has established its hold everywhere from Afghanistan to Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives. Bangladesh also used to get a lot of help from China in infrastructure projects, yet Sheikh Hasina took care that India’s interests should not be affected. She says that India’s name was so associated with Sheikh Hasina that now there is a danger of anti-India sentiments getting promoted in Bangladesh. Bangladesh National Party, Jamaat-e-Islami are considered pro-Pakistan. India will also be worried about what impact the radical elements in Bangladesh will have on India.
As the situation in Bangladesh worsened, BSF issued high alert on the border, the Centre issued travel advisory
‘Anti-India sentiment has become a part of life in neighbouring countries’
IDSA research fellow and South Asia expert Smriti Patnaik says that it has to be seen whether Awami League will remain in the interim government of Bangladesh or not. Regarding the anti-India sentiments seen in Bangladesh, she said that anti-India has become a part of life in India’s neighboring countries. It has become a practice to drag India in the middle to oppose something there. Foreign affairs expert Sanjeev Srivastava says that instability is increasing in India’s neighborhood but India’s approach is of neighborhood first. The situations in the neighborhood are definitely challenging for India but with the capability and approach of India, India will continue to play its constructive role. He says that as far as anti-India sentiments in neighboring countries are concerned, these conspiracies are hatched. Pakistani agency has been hatching such conspiracies in Bangladesh too. But our relations with Bangladesh are very strong and anti-India sentiments will not be successful there. If you look at Maldives, they are also talking about Welcome India.
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Good relations between Bangladesh and Indian Army
Smriti Patnaik, research fellow at IDSA and South Asia expert, says that India has good relations with the Bangladesh Army. India’s relationship with the Bangladesh Army has changed since 2007. India is a regional power. Therefore, whatever regime exists in Bangladesh, be it a military regime, it will also want India’s support. There are joint exercises between the Indian Army and the Bangladesh Army. There are exercises with the Navy and Coast Guard as well as the Air Force. Bangladesh officers also take training in India’s National Defense Academy.