India was aware of anti-Hasina wave but could not interfere, says Jaishankar

Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar highlighted the role of “external actors” in Bangladesh, and mentioned that China was “not an adversary but a competitor”. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

India was aware of an anti-Sheikh Hasina wave building up in Bangladesh ahead of the violent overthrow of the former Prime Minister’s government on August 5, 2024, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed the Consultative Committee on External Affairs on Saturday (March 22, 2025).

However, India was not in a position to do much as it lacked the necessary leverage over Ms. Hasina who could only be “advised”, he told Members of Parliament.

The Hindu has learnt that Mr. Jaishankar indicated that India — like a few other leading stakeholders — had been aware of the tumultuous situation inside Bangladesh. In this regard, he mentioned the U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk’s recent remarks about the U.N. warning the Bangladesh army against a confrontation with unarmed protesters during the anti-Hasina protests, that such a move would prompt the U.N. to ban the army from peacekeeping operations.

The Consultative Committee on External Affairs members met Mr. Jaishankar for a frank discussion on India’s foreign policy where the circumstances in the neighbourhood — especially in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Pakistan — dominated.

Ties with Bangladesh

While the interim government in Bangladesh has initiated dialogue with India, the Delhi-Dhaka relationship has been fraught with tension in view of India providing asylum to Ms. Hasina.

India has engaged with the interim government by sending Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in December 2024, but the Ministry of External Affairs is tight-lipped on a possible formal meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in Bangkok on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit on April 2-4.

Professor Yunus, who has hosted a series of international dignitaries, is on track to visit China next, where the two countries are expected to sign multiple agreements, including ones on aviation links that will increase connectivity between Chittagong and Dhaka and Chinese destinations. Mr. Jaishankar highlighted the role of “external actors” in Bangladesh, and mentioned that China was “not an adversary but a competitor”.

On the Myanmar unrest

Mr. Jaishankar was also asked about the ongoing civil war in Myanmar where Ethnic Armed Organisations have escalated their fight against the central authority of the military junta since the coup of February 1, 2021. The MPs also highlighted the spill over effects of that conflict for India’s northeastern States.

Asked about the state of border infrastructure in the northeast, Mr. Jaishankar provided details about the state of preparedness of the Indian side in dealing with the law and order situation in areas on the India-Myanmar border. A member of Parliament who participated in the discussion described Mr. Jaishankar’s remarks as “forthcoming” as the senior Minister gave a comprehensive view of the neighbourhood.

Possible SAARC revival

Mr. Jaishankar’s interaction also covered the future of SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), which has not met since November 2014. Islamabad was supposed to hold the 19th SAARC summit in November 2016 but the meeting could not take place as India cancelled its participation after a terror strike against its military installation in Uri on September 18, 2016. Since then, India has supported the cooperation at the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), raising questions about the scope of revival of the SAARC.

However, during the briefing, Mr. Jaishankar hinted that “SAARC is not off the table” and that the regional grouping has been “paused”, indicating the possibility of a revival in future.

MPs also raised the issue of China’s rising footprint in India’s immediate neighbourhood and sought an explanation on what India intended to do in the next decade to counter China’s growing influence in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.