At a panel discussion in New Delhi on Wednesday, diplomats, scholars and security experts argued that India must adopt a pragmatic, engagement-driven approach toward Bangladesh’s evolving political landscape, even as security concerns persist over the country’s transition.
Speaking at the discussion titled “New Regimes in Bangladesh and Myanmar: India’s Eastern Front at the Crossroads?”, Professor Sreeradha Datta of O.P. Jindal Global University described Bangladesh’s recent election as notable for its procedural innovations and relatively peaceful conduct.
For the first time, she said, extensive technology was deployed across polling booths, including volunteer monitoring, body cameras and drone surveillance. “The environment was largely safe and orderly,” she noted, adding that accessibility measures such as wheelchair assistance reflected administrative preparedness.
Yet the election also revealed deeper political anxieties. Datta pointed out that a significant portion of first-time voters from Generation Z appeared to feel politically targeted, while social media misinformation shaped campaign narratives. The low representation of women candidates was another concern.
Bangladesh, she argued, remains politically fragile following the departure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose tenure ended amid allegations of financial impropriety and institutional strain. “It looks promising at the surface,” Datta said, “but engagement will be essential.”
The return of BNP leader Tarique Rahman after nearly two decades in exile has further complicated the political landscape.
Datta noted that Rahman faces the challenge of convincing voters that his leadership can deliver clean governance. The youth vote, she suggested, is driven less by ideology and more by the desire for a corruption-free state.
For India, however, the transition raises pressing security questions. Former Mauritian National Security Adviser Shantanu Mukharji cautioned that while the political shift has been smoother than expected, New Delhi must remain vigilant. “The real concern,” he said, “is whether Pakistani intelligence agencies could use Bangladesh as a launching pad for anti-India activities.”
Mukharji emphasised that intelligence cooperation between the two neighbours should be strengthened, arguing that joint counter terror mechanisms would serve both sides. “The best course is to engage Bangladesh afresh, not to distance ourselves,” he added.
Former Indian ambassador Gautam Mukhopadhaya echoed the need for caution, stressing that India should monitor developments without appearing intrusive.
He also drew parallels with Myanmar, where electoral legitimacy often matters less than geopolitical alignments. According to Mukhopadhaya, China’s attempts to deepen its strategic footprint in the region are likely to face nationalist resistance, but India must avoid overt interference in internal affairs. “Watch closely, but don’t overreact,” he advised, calling for a calibrated diplomatic approach.
The discussion also touched on the implications of the Awami League’s diminished role in the current political arrangement.
Moderator Rami Niranjan Desai noted that India now faces two competing lenses: its long-standing political ties with Sheikh Hasina’s government, and the need to build working relations with emerging actors in Dhaka. Balancing these interests, she suggested, will define New Delhi’s eastern strategy in the coming years.
Participants agreed that India’s response should combine strategic caution with sector-specific engagement, particularly in trade, connectivity, and border management. Confidence-building measures, including humanitarian initiatives such as recent India-Myanmar cooperation under Operation Brahma, were cited as examples of diplomacy that builds goodwill without political overreach.