Bangladesh pushes for SAARC revival, India focuses BIMSTEC cooperation
Bangladesh's interim Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat.;
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain (Photo: @DrSJaishankar / X)
Dhaka, Feb 18: Bangladesh’s interim government has sought India’s support for reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and renewing the Ganges Water Treaty, during a high-level diplomatic meeting between Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Muscat, Oman.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) on Sunday, where Hossain focused on Bangladesh’s commitment to restoring SAARC, which has remained inactive for years due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. He also called for fresh discussions on the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty, a crucial agreement governing water-sharing between the two neighbors.
"Hossain sought to initiate discussions for the renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty and stressed on the need for convening the SAARC Standing Committee meeting, requesting New Delhi's support on the matter," the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry stated in a press release.
However, Jaishankar’s post on X following the meeting did not mention SAARC. He noted that their discussions focused on bilateral ties and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
"Met Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. The conversation was focused on our bilateral relationship, as also on BIMSTEC," Jaishankar posted.
Bangladesh is set to take over from Thailand as the chair of BIMSTEC after the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, scheduled to be held in Bangkok from April 2 to 4, 2025.
Both leaders acknowledged the challenges facing India-Bangladesh relations and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in key areas, according to Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry.
This marks the second meeting between the two diplomats since they last met at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024, a month after Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, assumed power following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a violent student-led uprising.
The discussion signals Bangladesh’s renewed diplomatic push to strengthen regional partnerships amid a shifting political landscape in South Asia.
