High-Level Consultations Held as India-Bangladesh Seek to Reset Ties
NEW DELHI – In a significant move aimed at navigating the cooling relations between New Delhi and Dhaka, India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, held an extensive meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. The high-level consultation in the national capital comes at a critical juncture as both nations attempt to formalize a visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India.
Sources within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) characterized the discussion as “very good” and “long,” though specific details regarding the agenda were kept under wraps. Mr. Trivedi, who assumed his diplomatic post in June, is currently in Delhi for a three-day strategy session.
The ‘Hasina Factor’ and Diplomatic Friction
The diplomatic rapprochement has been hindered by complex political sensitivities. Relations between the two neighbors entered a turbulent phase following the August 2024 uprising that resulted in the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Since then, Ms. Hasina’s continued presence in India has remained a major point of contention.
Earlier this week, Bangladesh’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Humayun Kobir, explicitly identified the activities of Ms. Hasina and her Awami League party as the “principal challenge” currently impeding the planning of a bilateral summit in New Delhi. The diplomatic dialogue was previously derailed in August after remarks made by the former Prime Minister during a public press interaction drew sharp criticism from Dhaka.
Despite these hurdles, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) maintains a reconciliatory tone. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated on Wednesday that New Delhi remains committed to cultivating a “constructive and forward-looking” relationship with the new administration in Bangladesh.
A Complex Diplomatic Calendar
For Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the path to New Delhi has proven to be circuitous. Since his inauguration eight months ago following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) landslide election victory, Mr. Rahman has actively engaged on the international stage, visiting China and Malaysia, and representing his country at the United Nations General Assembly. He is also slated to visit Japan later this month.
However, a visit to India remains conspicuously absent from his travel itinerary. This delay persists despite several diplomatic outreaches by the Indian government. Ties between the two nations saw early efforts at bridge-building when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Mr. Rahman in late 2025 during the funeral of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Furthermore, high-ranking Indian officials, including Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, were present in Dhaka for Mr. Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony in February 2026.
Despite these formal gestures and subsequent invitations—including an offer for a bilateral meeting and a formal invite to the recent BRICS summit—the two nations have yet to establish a direct, high-level summit since the current government took power. Analysts suggest that the ongoing negotiations led by diplomats like Mr. Trivedi represent a renewed attempt to move beyond the legacy of the 2024 political transition and stabilize the long-standing bilateral partnership.
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