In a proactive reset of bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is likely to visit New Delhi soon, say sources. According to sources, Delhi and Dhaka are in talks for
PM-level visit before BRICS summit. “India and Bangladesh are working to finalise an early bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to New Delhi — possibly before month-end, or in the first week of September, ahead of the BRICS Summit,” said sources. The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to take place on September 12–13. As the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Rahman’s return to power in February 2026 ended an 18-month interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, prompting ashift in regional diplomacy.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended an official invitation to Tarique Rahman to visit India shortly after his election victory. Rahman, however, had prioritized diplomatic trips to Malaysia and China first. Defense cooperation between Dhaka and Islamabad has rapidly accelerated, featuring high-level military exchanges and ongoing talks regarding Bangladesh’s potential procurement of Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.
“India’s invitation to PM Rahman for a bilateral visit goes back to February, when he took office,” said sources. “Ganga waters treaty renewal is on the table as ties thaw. The May 2025 trade curbs on Bangladesh may see rollback. Bimstec chair Rahman’s Delhi tripwill set the tone for BRICS outreach,” said sources.
THE HASINA FACTOR
A severe diplomatic row erupted in early August 2026 after Sheikh Hasina broke her prolonged silence by addressing an audio-only virtual press conference from New Delhi via the Foreign Correspondents Club.The Rhetoric: Hasina declared the Tarique Rahman government “illegitimate” and brought to power via a “staged election”. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), via spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, quickly distanced itself. New Delhi clarified that the event was organized by a private media entity and explicitly stated that India does not endorse Hasina’s remarks against the duly constituted Bangladeshi government.
During an August 2026 meeting in Dhaka, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman directly renewed Bangladesh’s official demand for Hasina’s extradition to face trial for the deadly 2024 crackdowns.India’s Stance: The Indian government confirmed that the extradition request is currently “being examined in line with established legal processes”.
Despite the intense political noise surrounding Hasina, both New Delhi and Dhaka are working through institutional channels to prevent a total collapse of ties, recognizing deeply entrenched mutual dependencies.
THE OUTREACH
India, serving as the current BRICS Chair, has formally invited Rahman to attend the BRICS Summit outreach session in New Delhi in September 2026. The Indian government extended a secondary invitation to Rahman in his capacity as the current chair of the BIMSTEC regional alliance.
In August 2026, India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, met with Prime Minister Rahman in Dhaka to deliver greetings from PM Modi and discuss strengthening citizen-centric cooperation.
In August 2026, the chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Parag Jen, led a four-member delegation to Dhaka at the official invitation of Bangladesh’s Director General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).
The Indian delegation met with Rahman’s defense affairs advisor, Brigadier General Dr. AKM Shamsul Islam, alongside the home minister, to discuss regional security developments and rebuild institutional trust
