Bangladesh high commissioner meets Indian Army chief to boost defence ties

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M Riaz Hamidullah has met Indian Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi amid efforts to revive bilateral ties following recent strains.

The Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information disclosed the meeting in a Facebook post on Thursday.

According to the post, the two officials "deliberated on enhancing bilateral defence cooperation, including joint training initiatives."

They also "explored opportunities for deeper collaboration aimed at promoting regional peace and security".

The meeting marks a notable shift in the diplomatic climate between Dhaka and New Delhi.

Relations between the two countries cooled after the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina government in 2024.

Tensions persisted during Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration, marked by reciprocal diplomatic summons and public grievances.

India had indicated it preferred to engage with an elected government rather than the interim administration.

However, a thaw in relations began early this year following a message of condolence from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman after the passing of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

This was followed by a visit from India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the attendance of Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the inauguration of the new BNP-led government on Feb 17.

High Commissioner Hamidullah, who joined the New Delhi mission in April 2025, previously met with Jaishankar on Mar 20.

This interaction with the military leadership comes just ahead of Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman’s scheduled visit to Delhi on Apr 7.

Meetings are being arranged with Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.