What’s Cooking Between Bangladesh, China and Pakistan? Why India Must Stay Alert

Dhaka: A meeting was held between Bangladesh, China and Pakistan last week. This meeting was organized in Kunming, Yunnan province of China. Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Bangladesh's Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddiqui and Pakistan's Additional Foreign Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui attended this meeting. This meeting is being seen as China's growing interest in the geopolitics of South Asia. Along with this, China is also trying its best to bridge the distance between Pakistan and Bangladesh and make them a strong partner. In such a situation, this meeting has increased India's concern, because these three countries are neighbors and relations with these countries are not normal in recent times.

According to The Week report, Bangladesh's response to this meeting was restrained. It did not fully support the Joint Working Group (JWG) proposed in the meeting, which was aimed at implementing a comprehensive trilateral agenda. Bangladesh expressed doubts about the scope of this initiative, citing high-level consultation in this matter. This is being seen as a diplomatic move rather than a direct protest. However, during the government of Mohammad Yunus, Bangladesh's relations with China and Pakistan have strengthened, while tensions with India have increased on many issues.

China-Pakistan deliberately called Bangladesh

Speculations are being made that China and Pakistan deliberately called Bangladesh to this meeting for a specific purpose. This trilateral meeting was a well-planned move to diplomatically sideline India. However, Bangladesh sensed the move of China and Pakistan in advance and sidelined itself. A day earlier, Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Tauhid Hossain, clarifying Bangladesh's position, categorically ruled out the possibility of the formation of any new alliance with China and Pakistan. Emphasising the informal and apolitical nature of the engagement, he said, "We are not forming any alliance. It was a meeting at the official level, not at the political level... there was no element of formation of any alliance."

Bangladesh distances itself

He also underlined that the meeting was not aimed at any neighbouring country, thereby allaying New Delhi's concerns. Dhaka's restraint reflects a delicate balance - seeking to explore emerging partnerships while avoiding a premature rupture with New Delhi. Still, the broader signals for India are increasingly disquieting. The trilateral engagement comes at a time when tensions have escalated between Bangladesh and India on a number of issues.

China-Pakistan wanted to bypass India

The aim of the joint working group at the meeting of China, Bangladesh and Pakistan is to enhance mutual cooperation by bypassing India. However, despite not reaching a consensus, Bangladesh, China and Pakistan collectively agreed to deepen cooperation in a range of areas from trade and investment to the digital economy, maritime affairs, education and public health. Mohammad Yunus has been advocating for a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since long. With India having long distanced itself from SAARC due to Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism and shifted its focus to the more pragmatic and cooperative BIMSTEC, Dhaka’s attempt to revive this defunct regional bloc raises deeper questions.