India foreign policy thread

[Nimble]

There is a saying "actions speak louder than words".


Beyond all the rhetoric and nonsense, what is actually happening? Bangladesh is doing business with India because it needs to. We have no other option. This forum and some of the delusional trolls in it have no connection to reality.

Also any modernisation or development of Bangladesh's armed forces is not linked to any offensive posture against India (a nuclear giant) but because we have to be strong and have a strong defensive capability. Our population is bigger than Russia, but we are not seeking to have armed forces bigger than Russia or equal to Russia but still smaller than Russia, but bigger than what we have now, especially given the genodical racist, fascist Myanmar regime next door.

India is a liberal democracy with a strong civil society and nothing like Myanmar.

100% agreed on everything and especially bold part.... I or in general Indians (barring trolls on forum) have no grudge if Bangladesh wants a strong and modern military.... it's a right of Bangladesh if they want to be a strong country.... Bangladesh faces sometimes hostile Myanmar and internal instability in that country somehow affects Bangladesh.... India though doesn't have any conflicts like it has with China or Pakistan sometimes things go very hot.... so better be prepared than regret later.....

 

[uksyl]

Thanks.

Just to give some context. Bangladesh is in no position to be antagonistic to neighbours or looking for fights. However what normal country can accept 1 million refugees (Rohingya) thrown into their country?

Myanmar is not a normal country and run by extreme racists and around half of the country is run by rebel groups.

Here is a table of air forces in terms of fighter jets and interceptors amongst SAAR and ASEAN states.



Singapore has 100 fighter jets + interceptors according to this and Bangladesh has 41.

Singapore's population is over 6 million and Bangladesh is 177 million approx, so Bangladesh has a population 29 times more than Singapore. Look at this below.



Our air force is severely understrength and underfunded. Do we need a strong air force? Yes. Why?

Has Thailand had 1 million refugees from Myanmar expelled in to its country?

The build up of our air force is regularly used by anti-Bangladeshi Indians to vilify Bangladesh and to demonise as some sort of money hell-bent on some war, which is ridiculous.

Anyway the Bangladeshi and Indian air forces have had good relations in the past.




Former head of Bangladesh air force Shaikh Abdul Hannan at Barrackpore air force base in West Bengal, India.

 

[uksyl]

Continued....



Policy makers or think tank analysts in New Delhi cannot insist on a weak understrength for the Bangladesh airforce as this is highly offensive and carries insinuations that Bangladesh should remain weak to please Delhi. On the other hand Bangladesh has to make it clear that it is a state whose nation project is poverty alleviation and recognises the territorial inviolability of the Indian union and the utmost need for a stable and prosperous India and particularly its north-east. Any development of Bangladesh's airforce is natural to keep it up to par with others in the region and a basic right of a sovereign state.

 

[uksyl]

India, Bangladesh Eye Stronger Grassroots Ties as High Commissioner Meets LGRD Minister​

Bikram Anik, AA

In a high-profile diplomatic engagement underscored by warm camaraderie, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi held a comprehensive bilateral meeting yesterday with Bangladesh government's Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan. State Minister Mir Shahe Alam was also present during the talks.

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi opened the meeting by extending heartfelt congratulations and good wishes to the leadership on the occasion of the 48th Founding Day of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The centerpiece of the discussion was a shared vision to deepen the historical and cultural bonds between the citizens of both nations.


Reaffirming that robust democratic institutions begin at the foundational level, both sides exchanged ideas on modernizing and strengthening local government frameworks to better serve communities. Beyond high-level diplomacy, the dialogue highlighted a mutual commitment to empowering local governance, a vital priority for both vibrant democracies as they look to build a more connected and resilient neighborhood.

India, Bangladesh Eye Stronger Grassroots Ties as High Commissioner Meets LGRD Minister | The Asian Age Online, Bangladesh

In a high-profile diplomatic engagement underscored by warm camaraderie, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi held a comprehensive bilateral meeting yesterday with Bangladesh government's Minister of Local Government,

dailyasianage.com

@BananaRepublic​

 

[uksyl]

@BananaRepublic I am happy to see members of the Indian armed forces in Dhaka, long may our friendship grow and flourish.

 

[BananaRepublic]

View attachment 213667

View attachment 213668



View attachment 213669

@BananaRepublic I am happy to see members of the Indian armed forces in Dhaka, long may our friendship grow and flourish.

Are they trolling the jamatis lol

 

[uksyl]

Are they trolling the jamatis lol

The nationalists....(Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, ruling party) ditched the Jamaatis in 2020 after decades of alliance with them. It was inevitable.

1. The BNP are founded by people who fought against the Pakistan army.

Jamaat is a party who fought for the Pakistan army.

2. BNP sees an independent Bangladesh as a major accomplishment.

Jamaat sees it as a shame and loss and realises though it cannot "reunite" Bangladesh and Pakistan, it can try to make a de facto union, or make Bangladesh an "east Pakistan" in the sense of being hostile to India or even going to war with India.







One of the people in that meeting was a Hindu member of the BNP, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy.

Roy (left) with then BNP senior member, Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir who is now president of Bangladesh.


Begum Selima Rahman was one of the nationalists in this very important high level nationalists meeting.



So we now have a nationalist government in power that wanted to Jamaat from their alliance as far back as 2020 (though most say the actual end of the BNP-Jamaat alliance was 2022) when Hasina's position seemed unshakeable. It seems to have been an ideological decision. At the time it might have seemed unwise, but the nationalists seem to have decided to follow their principles and ditch the razakar Jamaatis, 6 years later they gained power.

One of the nationalists involved in this major decision, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, won his seat in a massive electoral victory for the nationalists.




The nationalists in Bangladesh are strong and powerful, and they view India as a neighbour whom they wish to have good relations with.

 

[BananaRepublic]

The nationalists....(Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, ruling party) ditched the Jamaatis in 2020 after decades of alliance with them. It was inevitable.

1. The BNP are founded by people who fought against the Pakistan army.

Jamaat is a party who fought for the Pakistan army.

2. BNP sees an independent Bangladesh as a major accomplishment.

Jamaat sees it as a shame and loss and realises though it cannot "reunite" Bangladesh and Pakistan, it can try to make a de facto union, or make Bangladesh an "east Pakistan" in the sense of being hostile to India or even going to war with India.

View attachment 213674



View attachment 213676

One of the people in that meeting was a Hindu member of the BNP, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy.

View attachment 213677Roy (left) with then BNP senior member, Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir who is now president of Bangladesh.


Begum Selima Rahman was one of the nationalists in this very important high level nationalists meeting.

View attachment 213678

So we now have a nationalist government in power that wanted to Jamaat from their alliance as far back as 2020 (though most say the actual end of the BNP-Jamaat alliance was 2022) when Hasina's position seemed unshakeable. It seems to have been an ideological decision. At the time it might have seemed unwise, but the nationalists seem to have decided to follow their principles and ditch the razakar Jamaatis, 6 years later they gained power.

One of the nationalists involved in this major decision, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, won his seat in a massive electoral victory for the nationalists.

View attachment 213681


The nationalists in Bangladesh are strong and powerful, and they view India as a neighbour whom they wish to have good relations with.

Only problem is our nationalists have military roots.

And as you know from world over - brightest people do not join the military.

Hence I am always sceptical of their approach.

 

[uksyl]

Only problem is our nationalists have military roots.

And as you know from world over - brightest people do not join the military.

Hence I am always sceptical of their approach.

Bangladeshi nationalism can really be traced back to way earlier and you could talk about the desire for the partition of Bengal and the formation of a Muslim-majority east Bengal as 'proto-Bangladeshi nationalism which itself was the precursor to the partition of the sub-continent as a whole and the creation of Pakistan. This has nothing to do with the military and arguably the greatest Bengali/Bangladeshi of all time is Maulana Bashani along with other giants like Sher i Bangla A.K. Fazlul Haque.




Both major parties in Bangladesh are arguably descended from the Muslim league (which Bashani later renamed to the Awami Muslim League and then Awami League).






However with time both parties developed from the original desire for a Muslim Bengali state and then focused on a more inclusive form of nationalism for all citizens of that state regardless of religion.

1. The Awami League became somewhat ethno-centric or linguo-centric focusing on the Bengali language and "Bengali-ness".

2. The 'Bangladeshi' nationalism of the BNP is inclusive of all citizens of Bangladesh be they Hindu, Chakma (Buddhist), Christian etc and less focused on language.

However in real terms there is not that much difference. Both are pro-independence which Jamaat are not.

Both the Awami League and the BNP have allied themselves with Jamaat at various times.



However unlike the Awami League and BNP which are both pro-independence parties and probably represent 90% of all Bangladeshis, Jamaat is a razakar anti-independence party ditched by both major parties.

They are anti-Bangladesh, anti-India and the no.1 domestic enemy of Bangladesh at the moment.

The fact that our military is providing "hospitality" to a delegation of Indian military personnel is just one evidence of how very little real power Jamaat enjoy in the real corridors of power in the upper echeleons of our business community and military.

So Bangladeshi nationalism has little to do with the military. It is pro-independence but to a degree has an inherent fondness, liking and desire for friendship with India, as well as warm feelings for fellow Bengalis of West Bengal (some Bengalis on both sides of the border view each other as members of one greater Bengali nation/community).



Zia Rahman with Indian leader, Indira Gandhi.