In a significant outreach, India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met Bangladesh’s High Commissioner Riyaz Hamidullah in New Delhi on Friday. The conversation centered on elevating India-Bangladesh partnership, with energy cooperation at the forefront.
Posting on social media, Jaishankar noted the productive exchange aimed at fortifying bilateral bonds. This aligns with India’s recent statements on continuing energy aid to neighbors, calibrated against its own requirements.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a weekly briefing, detailed requests from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and others for energy supplies. India has supplied diesel to Bangladesh via various channels since 2007, a commitment that persists.
West Asian tensions have disrupted sea lanes, raising alarms over LPG availability. Jaiswal clarified India’s strategy: domestic consumers come first, followed by strategic exports.
Building momentum, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma held multiple meetings in Dhaka early this month with the new government’s key figures. Discussions with Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir focused on rural economy, agriculture cooperatives, and local administration reforms.
Another key interaction involved Liberation War Affairs Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed, where 1971’s shared history was celebrated. Emphasis was on fostering trust-based collaboration for mutual prosperity.
These engagements reflect India’s people-centric diplomacy, leveraging historical ties to navigate contemporary challenges and expand cooperative horizons in development and security.