Xpress News24
New Delhi: The diplomatic strain between India and Bangladesh has come into sharper focus ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with Dhaka now ruling out Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s participation in the September 12-13 meeting.
The development comes after weeks of uncertainty over Rahman’s proposed first visit to India since taking office. India had extended a separate invitation for a bilateral visit and another invitation for the BRICS outreach session, in which Rahman was invited in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs had earlier confirmed that the invitation was part of the BRICS practice of inviting leaders of regional organisations to its outreach sessions.
Dhaka, however, has now taken a different position.
Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister Humayun Kobir said Thursday that Rahman had not been invited to the BRICS summit as Bangladesh’s prime minister. According to reports, he argued that the invitation was addressed to the BIMSTEC chair, rather than to the Bangladesh government or Rahman in his capacity as prime minister.
The disagreement over the nature of the invitation has effectively ended speculation about Rahman attending the Delhi summit.
The issue is significant because India had been seeking greater engagement with the new Bangladesh government. Dhaka had received the BRICS invitation earlier and had initially said it was reviewing the proposal. Bangladesh’s foreign minister had also acknowledged that two separate invitations had been received — one for a bilateral visit and another connected to the BIMSTEC chairmanship.
Bilateral visit remains unresolved
The uncertainty surrounding Rahman’s India visit has continued for several months.
India had invited him for a bilateral visit after he assumed office in February 2026. New Delhi has repeatedly maintained that the invitation remains open. On August 14, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal again said India had invited the Bangladesh prime minister for a bilateral visit as well as the BRICS outreach session.
Dhaka, meanwhile, has linked the broader diplomatic environment to several unresolved issues, most prominently its demand for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina fled Bangladesh for India in August 2024 following the collapse of her government amid student-led protests. Bangladesh has since repeatedly sought her return. India has said the extradition request is under examination.
The issue has become an important factor in discussions surrounding Rahman’s proposed visit.
Dhaka has also objected to political activities involving Hasina from Indian soil. Her recent virtual interaction with the media in New Delhi added another layer to the already complicated diplomatic relationship.
‘Mutual respect’ stressed by Dhaka
Bangladesh has indicated that it wants greater emphasis on direct bilateral engagement rather than participation in multilateral events at this stage.
The message from Dhaka is that Rahman’s first India visit should take place in an environment of mutual respect and should primarily focus on bilateral issues.
For New Delhi, however, the BRICS invitation was not presented as an unusual gesture. India had invited Rahman specifically in his capacity as BIMSTEC chair, alongside leaders representing other regional organisations for the outreach session.
The contrasting positions have now become another visible sign of the difficulties facing India-Bangladesh ties.
Despite the disagreement, diplomatic channels between the two countries remain active. Indian officials have continued to stress their commitment to maintaining bilateral engagement, while high-level diplomatic contacts between the two sides have also continued.
With the BRICS Summit now only days away, Rahman’s absence will be closely watched. More importantly, the episode leaves his first bilateral visit to India unresolved and underlines how much work remains before relations between New Delhi and Dhaka return to a more stable track.
Meta Title
India-Bangladesh Ties: Tarique Skips BRICS Summit
Meta Description
Bangladesh has ruled out Tarique Rahman’s BRICS visit, saying the invitation was for the BIMSTEC chair, highlighting tensions with India.
Focus Keywords
India Bangladesh Relations, Tarique Rahman, BRICS Summit 2026, Bangladesh BRICS, BIMSTEC Chair, Sheikh Hasina, India Bangladesh Ties, New Delhi Dhaka
