Bangladesh's Yunus calls for integrated economic plan including India's northeast states in talks with Nepal

Mint

14-05-2025

Nobel laureate and Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has once again spotlighted India's northeastern region-often referred to as the 'Seven Sisters'-as part of a broader vision for regional economic integration. During a recent meeting with Indira Rana, Deputy Speaker of Nepal's House of Representatives who is visiting Dhaka, Yunus proposed a comprehensive economic plan uniting Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the seven northeastern states of India.
Emphasising the potential for enhanced cross-border cooperation, Yunus highlighted key sectors such as hydropower, healthcare, and transportation infrastructure as pillars for deeper regional ties. He stated, 'There should be an integrated economic plan for Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the Seven Sisters,' underlining the strategic importance of collaboration across these contiguous regions.
The discussion also touched on the ongoing hydropower partnership between Bangladesh and Nepal, with both sides recognising the significance of the Bangladesh-Nepal-India Tripartite Power Sales Agreement.
This landmark deal, signed last October, enables Bangladesh to import 40 megawatts of Nepalese hydropower via the Indian electricity grid, exemplifying the tangible benefits of regional cooperation.
Beyond energy, Yunus reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment to regional healthcare accessibility by announcing that a forthcoming 1,000-bed hospital in Rangpur would welcome patients from Nepal and Bhutan alike, fostering what he termed 'regional health security and shared prosperity.'
Yunus's remarks come months after his visit to China, where he described India's northeastern states as 'landlocked' and lacking direct access to the sea, positioning Bangladesh as the 'only guardian of the ocean' for the region.
Bangladesh's Yunus invited Chinese officials to deepen economic engagement with Bangladesh, proposing it as a hub for production, logistics, and trade that could serve the landlocked northeast as well as neighbouring countries.
This framing, however, drew criticism from Indian economist Sanjeev Sanyal, who questioned the relevance of highlighting India's internal geography in appeals to China, suggesting it risked undermining India's sovereignty and regional sensitivities.
Yunus's latest call for integrated economic planning involving Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and India's northeast reignites complex debates over regional connectivity, economic collaboration, and geopolitical interests.
China's recent move to rename 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh has once again sparked tensions between the two countries, with India firmly rejecting the attempt as 'vain and preposterous.' The Chinese Civil Aviation Ministry released new names for various places, including mountains, rivers, and residential areas, as part of its ongoing efforts to assert territorial claims over the northeastern Indian state, which Beijing refers to as 'Zangnan.'
India's Ministry of External Affairs responded strongly, reiterating that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and emphasising that creative renaming will not alter this undeniable reality.
This marks the fourth such renaming exercise by China since 2017, reflecting Beijing's persistent claims despite repeated Indian objections.
The renaming comes amid heightened diplomatic sensitivities, especially following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, where he inaugurated the strategically significant Sela Tunnel. Indian officials, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, have dismissed China's claims as 'ludicrous' and underscored that changing place names does not affect sovereignty.
China's official lists include detailed maps and coordinates, signalling an attempt to institutionalise its claims. However, India maintains that these actions are symbolic and do not change the ground realities or the legal status of Arunachal Pradesh.