India on Tuesday said it wants “positive, constructive and forward-looking” relations with Bangladesh based on “mutuality of interests and reciprocity”, amid uncertainty over Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to New Delhi.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks at his bi-weekly media briefing while responding to questions on the recent strain in India-Bangladesh ties following former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s virtual media interaction from New Delhi on August 5.
Following the interaction, Dhaka reiterated its demand for Hasina’s extradition and sought to link the issue with Rahman’s possible visit to India.
“India desires positive, constructive and forward-looking relations with Bangladesh based on mutuality of interests and reciprocity,” Jaiswal said.
“Our position on the press conference by the former Bangladesh prime minister needs no repetition. On the issue of extraditions, our consistent position has been that these requests are being examined as part of our established processes,” he added.
India had earlier made it clear that it neither had any role in Hasina’s media interaction nor endorsed the comments made by her.
The Bangladesh foreign ministry had strongly objected to the event, saying it was “outraged” that the interaction was allowed despite Dhaka conveying its concerns to New Delhi over its possible impact on bilateral ties.
Hasina, 78, was ousted from power in August 2024 following violent student-led protests. She has been staying in India since fleeing Dhaka on August 5 last year.
Amid the continuing strain, India has invited Rahman for a bilateral visit as well as to attend the outreach session of the BRICS summit to be hosted in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
The summit is expected to deliberate on several pressing global issues, including the economic consequences of the ongoing West Asia crisis.
On Bangladesh’s request for India’s assistance in dealing with its ongoing energy crisis, Jaiswal said the matter was being examined.
“We have an ongoing energy cooperation with Bangladesh. As far as the additional request is concerned, we are examining this given our own requirements, given our refining capacity, as also the availability that is there on our side,” he said.
Bangladesh has been facing an acute energy crisis.
Asked about a recent report by a UN Security Council body pointing to attempts by al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) to establish cells in Bangladesh, Jaiswal said terrorism and security concerns were a “common scourge”.
“We want to fight this problem together,” he said.
On the possibility of India and Bangladesh working together on sharing the waters of the Teesta river, Jaiswal said water-related issues are discussed through established bilateral mechanisms.
The Teesta is the only one of the 54 rivers shared by India and Bangladesh over which the two countries have not reached a water-sharing agreement.
“All water-related collaborations and discussions are handled by the bilateral Joint Rivers Commission and other structured dialogue mechanisms,” Jaiswal said.
(With inputs from PTI)