India is actively recalibrating its foreign policy toward Bangladesh, moving beyond its decades-long focus on Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League. Amid a persistent chill in bilateral relations following the “Hasina episode”—her removal from office and subsequent sentencing—subtle but significant gestures from New Delhi signal a strategic thaw, aimed at engaging the rising political forces in Dhaka ahead of the crucial 2026 general elections.
The diplomatic ice broke recently with the quiet visit of Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser to New Delhi. This high-level engagement was quickly followed by a public move that sent shockwaves through the region: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post expressing concern for the ailing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief, Khaleda Zia, offering “all possible support” for her recovery.
This message is seen as a clear signal of India’s necessity to nurture ties with the BNP, which is widely considered a frontrunner in the upcoming polls. India recognizes the risk of having put “all its eggs” in the now-ousted Awami League’s basket, leaving it without a strong ally in a post-Hasina political landscape.
A major concern for New Delhi is the resurging influence of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a party with known pro-Pakistan leanings that has recently demonstrated surprising political strength. By increasing engagement with the BNP—especially since the party has opted to contest the elections alone, distancing itself from the Jamaat—India is strategically positioning itself to counter radical influence and secure its interests in a potentially BNP-led Bangladesh.
Both nations, despite recent strain, have shown a commitment to stability, evident in the continuation of high-level security dialogues, signaling that the critical bilateral relationship is slowly inching back towards firmer ground.
