External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar and Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud held bilateral talks on Wednesday, marking Mahmud’s first official visit to India since Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s reelection last month.
During the meeting, the ministers discussed various aspects of bilateral relations, including cross-border connectivity, economic cooperation, defense and security, energy, and people-to-people exchanges. They also reviewed progress in these areas and explored avenues for future engagement, aligning with their respective national development goals, such as India’s “Viksit Bharat 2047” and Bangladesh’s “Smart Bangladesh 2041” visions.
Regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest were also on the agenda, with both ministers reaffirming their commitment to enhancing collaboration within frameworks such as BIMSTEC, IORA, and the BBIN initiative, aiming to promote sub-regional cooperation.
Following the productive discussions, Jaishankar also hosted a dinner in Mahmud’s honor, further fostering the warm relations between the two nations. The visit builds upon a recent meeting between the foreign ministers at the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Uganda, emphasizing the continuous strengthening of the longstanding friendship and cooperation between India and Bangladesh.
In addition to the bilateral talks, Mahmud also met with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry informed, they discussed ways and means of regional cooperation for ensuring regional security and maintaining greater stability in the region and beyond.
Further, the Bangladesh Foreign Minister also paid visit to Rajghat.
