Staff Reporter :
India has not yet confirmed any formal bilateral meeting between Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
This follows earlier remarks by Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, who had suggested that a meeting between the two leaders was “under consideration.”
In a statement issued on Friday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to meet Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on April 3, 2025, to discuss bilateral relations and explore future cooperation.
Modi is also expected to meet Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe to review progress on agreements made during a previous visit.
The statement from India’s Ministry did not mention any meeting with Chief Adviser Yunus, leaving it uncertain whether the two leaders will have an informal, brief exchange of pleasantries in Bangkok.
This comes as Yunus is currently in Beijing, engaging in high-profile talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping to elevate Bangladesh-China relations to new heights of cooperation.
The Interim Government of Bangladesh had formally requested a bilateral meeting between Modi and Yunus during the summit. However, given the Ministry’s statement, it now seems unlikely that a formal meeting will take place.
Despite congratulating Yunus on his appointment and extending greetings on Bangladesh’s Independence Day, Modi and Yunus have yet to meet in person since Yunus assumed office following the July revolution in August 2024.
On Bangladesh’s Independence Day, Modi wrote to Yunus: “This day stands as a testament to our shared history and sacrifices that have laid the foundation of our bilateral partnership.
The spirit of the Liberation War of Bangladesh continues to remain a guiding light for our relationship, which has flourished across multiple domains, bringing tangible benefits to our people.”
Recently, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Jasim Uddin, stated, “We consider any high-level meeting with another country to be important.
Given the current state of our relations with India, we view this meeting as significant. We hope that if this meeting takes place, it will help overcome the stagnation in our bilateral relations.” He added, “From our side, we are ready for this meeting and are now waiting for a positive response from India.”
Following the press statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, a formal meeting between the two leaders seems unlikely.
Meanwhile, the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit, scheduled for April 4 in Bangkok, will focus on enhancing regional cooperation, increasing trade and investment, improving connectivity, and addressing issues such as security and climate change.
Speaking about the summit, Foreign Secretary Jasim Uddin recently stated, “This is a significant moment for Bangladesh as we step into a leadership role within BIMSTEC. It presents an opportunity to reinforce regional cooperation and position Bangladesh as a just and inclusive nation in South and Southeast Asia.”
The summit is expected to strengthen Bangladesh’s relations with other BIMSTEC member states and play a vital role in promoting regional peace, stability, and economic development. At the summit, Bangladesh will assume the chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) for the next two years.
The BIMSTEC member countries include Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Thailand.
