Dhaka–Delhi Ties Show Signs of Thaw as Khalilur Rahman Meets S. Jaishankar

On his first official visit to New Delhi as Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Khalilur Rahman held talks with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday.

The meeting took place at Hyderabad House in Delhi, followed by a one-on-one discussion between the two ministers. Diplomatic sources said the talks covered both bilateral issues and broader regional matters concerning the two neighboring countries.

Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir was also present during the meeting as part of the minister’s delegation.

Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi had experienced tensions following the ousting of the Awami League government during the July 2024 uprising. However, after the BNP-led government, under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, came to power through the February 12 elections, signs of a diplomatic thaw have begun to emerge.

As part of this renewed engagement, Khalilur Rahman is the first minister from the new government to visit India. He arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for what has been described as a “goodwill visit.”

Earlier on Wednesday, he attended a breakfast meeting with Indian editors and senior journalists. Later in the day, he is scheduled to meet India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

On his first day in India, Rahman also met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, signaling a commitment to advancing long-term relations based on mutual respect and trust. Notably, Rahman himself previously served as Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser during the interim government period.

Following the Delhi visit, Rahman and Humayun Kabir will depart for Mauritius on Thursday morning to attend the Indian Ocean Conference. The event will be held on April 11–12 in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius.