By Nitya Chakraborty
U.S. ambassador to India as also Trump’s special envoy for South Asia and Central Asia Sergio Gor will be visiting Dhaka on Thursday July 30 to have discussions with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as also other important ministers of the government including the foreign minister Khalilur Rahman. This is his first visit to Dhaka after taking over as the South Asia envoy based in New Delhi in January 2026.
The timing of the visit is important. India is in the process of improving its relations with China. Only on July 27 and 28,Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri held very cordial talks with the Chinese vice minister of foreign affairs Hu Chunying in Beijing. Both sides acknowledged the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the border. Apart, both sides decided to explore new areas of cooperation and strengthen trade and economic cooperation, cultural exchanges and people to people approach.
For the last six months, the India- China relations have been on upswing. Foreign secretary Dr. S. Jaishankar had a very fruitful meeting with the Chinese foreign minister last week. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 this year. There is every possibility of a bilateral meeting in New Delhi between Indian PM Narendra Modi and the Chinese President apart from common Summit discussions. PM Modi as the host of BRICS summit has invited Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman also. Overall, India’s relations with both China and Bangladesh have started becoming comfortable.
So why suddenly Sergio Gor who is known to be very close to Trump, is rushing to Dhaka to have urgent consultations with the Bangladesh PM more than five months after the installation of the Tarique government following national elections on February 12? There are enough reasons. In the first one year of the second tenure of Trump as President, the Trump administration was busy with Ukraine war, then Iran war. But after the Trump-Xi summit in May this year, Trump’s Asia policy underwent a makeover and India’s importance as a regional ally in security matters, was brought down. The US foreign office started focusing more on other countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Bangladesh got sudden attention because of the June visit to China of Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman which led to the signing of a number of agreements covering defence, setting up of industrial clusters as also Teesta River development and restoration. The US officials got panicky as Chinese influence spread in every area of Bangladesh’s economic and political arena while the US foreign office was busy with other immediate global issues including Iran war. More worrying was the Chinese interest in setting up naval and maritime facilities in the territorial waters of Bangladesh. Further, China is now interested in connecting Bangladesh to Myanmar as a part of its earlier programme.
The US can not remain unconcerned at all these developments as its major global rival is spreading its wings in the defence facilities of Bangladesh. It is quite likely that Sergio Gor will take up the controversial issues with the Bangladesh PM and convey the U.S. concern over Chinese entry into the maritime facilities in the Ocean waters. Interestingly, Indian concerns also relate to the same as Indian government is not comfortable with China setting bases in Chittagong and its adjoining waters. Indian officials are also closely monitoring the follow up on the Teesta agreement between China and Bangladesh as this has serious consequences for India and the flow of Teesta waters within India.
What about Bangladesh’s position on Gor visit? Tarique government is excited at meeting the South Asian envoy since this will be the first time after Tarique took over, such a senior US official is visiting. But as of now, the position is that Bangladesh will assert its sovereign right to pursue what benefits its most including the consideration of linking with Myanmar as a part of Chinese proposal or defence facilities. Bangladesh may seize this opportunity to seek financial and economic assistance for the rehabilitation of its ailing economy. Bangladesh is expected to appeal to Gor to assist Bangladesh the way China is helping.
During Bangladesh PM’s visit to Beijing in June this year, China proposed the translational China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor(CMBEC) which promises larger connectivity, trade and multimodal transport for the concerned nations. Bangladesh officials are convinced that this proposal has the potential to step up trade and commerce of Bangladesh. China has also offered India to be a part of this corridor. Indications are that China will revive the proposal and talk to India again.
Apart China has agreed to help Bangladesh in the modernization of Chattogram and Mongla ports. A Chinese company will work. Earlier this Mongla port work was earmarked for India but this was cancelled during the tenure of interim govt of Md. Yunus. Now China is replacing India. Naturally, India is jittery but India can not officially protest as Bangladesh has the sovereign right to offer its areas for modernization to any government.
It is not yet clear whether Bangladesh PM will be visiting India to attend the BRICS summit. Bangladesh has been invited as the current chairman of BIMSTEC. If Bangladesh attends, that will be a diplomatic achievement for Tarique Rahman as Bangladesh application for full membership is still pending with BRICS leadership. Russia and China are supporting Bangladesh membership. No other South Asian country excepting India is a BRICS member. So Bangladesh’s presence will enhance its global exposure as a nation. The only irritant is that Sheikh Hasina will still be in Indian soil and his presence in New Delhi with Hasina still in India, might invite biog criticism from Jamaat and the NCP leaders.. Sheikh Hasina has announced to leave India for Bangladesh only in December this year.
But if Tarique finally visits New Delhi in September, that will give him an opportunity to meet PM Narendra Modi for the first time since he became PM. The bilateral talks may help in a big way in facilitating future discussions for improving the relations between both the countries. In fact, official Bangladesh government sees India’s increased role in South Asia’s security. Tarique Rahman will host the BIMSTEC summit in 2027, where the Indian PM is expected to attend. BIMSTEC will be observing its 30th anniversary at this 2027 Dhaka summit.
Early on July 16, AKM Shamsul Islam, defence adviser to Bangladesh PM, hailed India’s leadership role in advancing the security cooperation among BIMSTEC countries and urged deepening collaboration to enhance maritime security and cyber security. Bangladesh government recognizes India’s leading role. India can build its future relationship on it by treating Bangladesh as an equal partner.
The US might put pressure on India in the coming days to take positions that help the US strategy in Bangladesh. India should avoid that and formulate its stand only on the basis of its own national interests. It is high time that India asserts its strategic autonomy vis a vis USA and decide its relationship with Bangladesh and China bilaterally without being hijacked by any big power. (IPA Service)
