India Invites Tarique Rahman to BRICS Summit in New Delhi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi as a special guest, marking another step in efforts to improve relations between the two neighboring countries.

The summit is scheduled to take place on September 12–13 in the Indian capital. While BRICS comprises 11 member states, the host country traditionally invites several non-member nations to participate as special guests.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, confirmed that the invitation had been received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and subsequently forwarded to the Prime Minister's Office.

"The invitation has reached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and we have sent it to the Prime Minister's Office," she said.

Although Bangladesh is not a member of BRICS, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been invited to attend the summit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi.

Responding to questions about ongoing student protests in India and whether Bangladesh was concerned given the presence of many Bangladeshi nationals in the country, Shama Obaed said Bangladesh hoped for peace and stability across the region.

"As a democratic state and government, Bangladesh wants peace and stability to prevail in this region. We hope that India, as the world's largest democracy, will address the concerns of its people and move swiftly toward resolving the situation," she said.

The invitation comes amid ongoing diplomatic engagement between Dhaka and New Delhi, with both sides seeking to strengthen bilateral ties despite recent political developments in the region.