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.