India Aware of Anti-Hasina Sentiment, Unable to Interfere: Jaishankar

India was aware of the rising anti-Hasina sentiment in Bangladesh before the student protests that led to Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India, says India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Speaking to the Consultative Committee on External Affairs on Saturday, March 22, Jaishankar acknowledged the growing unrest but noted that India lacked the leverage to intervene directly, as Hasina could only be “advised.”

Jaishankar also referenced UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk’s recent remarks, where Turk warned the Bangladesh army against using force against unarmed protesters, stating such actions could result in the UN banning Bangladesh from peacekeeping operations.

During the meeting, which focused on India’s foreign policy and regional developments, Jaishankar highlighted the tensions in neighboring countries, particularly Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Tensions with Bangladesh
The relationship between India and Bangladesh has been strained since Hasina's asylum in India. While the interim Bangladeshi government has engaged in dialogue with India, including a visit by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in December 2024, the situation remains sensitive. Jaishankar refrained from confirming whether a formal meeting would take place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during the upcoming BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok.

Meanwhile, Yunus is set to visit China, where Bangladesh is expected to sign several agreements, including those enhancing air connectivity between Chittagong, Dhaka, and Chinese destinations. Jaishankar also noted the growing influence of “external actors,” specifically China, which he described not as an adversary but a “competitor” in the region.

Future of SAARC
Jaishankar addressed the future of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which has been inactive since the 2014 summit. The 19th SAARC summit, scheduled for 2016 in Pakistan, was canceled by India following a terrorist attack on its military base. Since then, India has shifted focus to regional cooperation through BIMSTEC. However, Jaishankar suggested that SAARC is “not off the table,” signaling a potential revival in the future.

China's Growing Influence
Indian MPs also expressed concerns over China's expanding influence in the region, particularly in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal. They sought clarity on India's strategy to counter China’s growing presence in its immediate neighborhood over the next decade.