India sends a billion-dollar message to Bangladesh
A few weeks ago, ALM Fazlur Rahman, a retired major general and an adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, kicked up a storm with his Facebook post after the Pahalgam terror attack when
India
was planning to attack terror infrastructure in Pakistan. 'If India attacks
Pakistan
,
Bangladesh
should occupy seven states of North East India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint military system with China," he wrote in Bangla. Though the Bangladesh government distanced itself from his remarks, they indicated a developing threat for India on its eastern border.
Hostile and unstable, Bangladesh is emerging as a threat to peace in India's northeast. Ever since toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government last year, Bangladesh has adopted an inimical posture towards India as hardliners took control of the country, attacking Hindu minority and members of Hasina's party which has recently been banned.
Threat to India
's northeastern states
Play Video
Pause
Skip Backward
Skip Forward
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
0:00
Loaded
:
0%
0:00
Stream Type
LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
1x
Playback Rate
Chapters
Chapters
Descriptions
descriptions off
, selected
Captions
captions settings
, opens captions settings dialog
captions off
, selected
Audio Track
default
, selected
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text
Color
White
Black
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Text Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Transparent
Caption Area Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque
Font Size
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
300%
400%
Text Edge Style
None
Raised
Depressed
Uniform
Drop shadow
Font Family
Proportional Sans-Serif
Monospace Sans-Serif
Proportional Serif
Monospace Serif
Casual
Script
Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values
Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Bangladesh's interim government chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, while he was on a four-day visit to China in March, invited Beijing to make an "extension" in the region while mentioning that the seven northeastern states of India remain landlocked.
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Ranger Sees Strange Creature On Riverbank. He Says, 'Oh My God,' When He Realizes What It Really Is
Cleverst
Undo
Yunus encouraged the Chinese government to establish an economic base in Bangladesh, emphasising that Dhaka is the "sole guardian of the ocean" in the region. "Seven states of India, eastern part of India, called seven sisters ... they are landlocked country, landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean," Yunus said in the video.
"We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the whole rest of the world," Yunus said. The remark drew concern in India, particularly given China's persistent territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as 'South Tibet' in official maps, and its continued practice of unilaterally renaming locations in the state.
Live Events
The indication by
Yunus of Bangladesh
welcoming Chinese influence in India's northeast assumed gravity with the news that China may assist Bangladesh in reviving a World War II-era airbase at Lalmonirhat in Rangpur Division, located just 12-15 km from the Indian border. Some Chinese officials recently visited the site, as per a TOI report. The airfield, currently under the control of the Bangladesh Air Force, has remained inactive for decades. Dhaka is reportedly seeking Beijing's support to bring it back into operation.
The airbase is located 135 km from the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the 'Chicken's Neck' – India's narrow land link to its northeastern states. While it remains unclear whether the revived airfield would serve civilian or military purposes, any potential Chinese presence so close to the India-Bangladesh border could heighten the strategic vulnerability of the corridor.
China's interest in Lalmonirhat is understandable given its proximity to the Siliguri corridor, a critical chokepoint just 22 km wide at its narrowest point that has long been a strategic vulnerability for India. It connects eight NE states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura – to the rest of the country. Squeezed between Nepal and Bangladesh, and with Bhutan and China just a few hundred kilometers away, the Siliguri Corridor is a critical lifeline for both civilian transit and military logistics in India.
India's answer to Bangladesh threats
India decided to place restrictions on Bangladeshi products being exported to North-East India after several comments made by the interim regime including by Yunus that it can choke the prosperity of NE states by denying them access to the Bay of Bengal. The move is expected to disrupt Bangladesh's garment industry, raising costs and limiting market access, while creating new opportunities for Indian manufacturers.
Besides this immediate response to Yunus' ill-conceived comments, India has sent a billions-dollar message to Bangladesh on India's northeastern states.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the government's focus on the northeastern states. Speaking at the inaugural session of '
Rising North East Investor Summit
', PM Modi junked the notion that geography could be a deterrent for NorthEast's growth. He positioned the region at the heart of India's Act East Policy, and said that "the NorthEast will become a strong bridge and gateway for Asean trade".
Adani Group,
Reliance Industries
, and Vedanta announced at the Summit that they plan to invest an additional Rs 30,000-Rs 50,000 crore (approximately $4 billion to $6 billion) each in northeast India.
Speaking at the event, Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, said Reliance Industries has committed to investing Rs 45,000 crore more in the Northeast. "Reliance has invested around Rs 30,000 crore in the region in the past 40 years," he said, adding, "In the next five years, we will more than double our investments, with our target at Rs 75,000 crore".RIL's investments will cover telecom, retail, renewable energy, biofuel, healthcare, and sports infrastructure across all eight Northeastern states.
Gautam Adani-led Adani Group pledged a Rs 1 lakh crore investment commitment for Assam and the broader Northeast region over the next decade. Adani said the group's investment will focus on green energy, power transmission, roads, digital infrastructure, logistics, and human capital development. The commitment doubles the Rs 50,000 crore investment announced by the Adani Group just three months ago at the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit.
Natural resources major Vedanta announced a Rs 80,000 crore investment in the region, including Rs 50,000 crore in Assam that it had announced earlier this year. These investments will be made in oil & gas, critical minerals, refining facilities, power, optical fibre, system integration, renewable energy, transmission sectors and data centres in six northeastern states. The investment is expected to generate 100,000 jobs.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
34 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
On Trump vs courts over foreign student ban, Harvard graduate says 'positive development…'
Listen to an excerpt of an exclusive interview with Fangzhou Jiang, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Harvard Kennedy School student, on the Trump administration's aggressive visa revocations for Chinese students. Hear firsthand about the anxiety and uncertainty among Chinese students at Harvard, the impact on academic freedom, and the broader implications for US-China relations. Jiang shares insights on national security, community support, the Gaza protests and why he co-founded Crimson Education. Don't miss this insightful discussion on America's shifting immigration policies and the future of international students in the US.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
'Operation Spider's Web' Spooks China As It Fears Taiwan Could Copy Ukraine's Drone Tactics
Last Updated: Chinese analysts warn of 'infiltration' threats after Ukraine's covert drone strikes deep inside Russia. Ukrainian forces' drone strikes on airbases deep within Russian territory, despite lacking long-range missiles or strategic bombers, are now a source of concern for China as it contemplates 'reunification" with Taiwan, according to a report by the South China Morning Post. The operation, dubbed Spider's Web, involved smuggling drones into Russia undetected, utilising unsuspecting drivers to transport them in modified containers close to key airbases. From these locations, drones were launched remotely to destroy high-value targets like surveillance aircraft and long-range bombers parked on the tarmac. The Russian bases targeted in the operation included Belaya airbase in Irkutsk, situated approximately 4,000 km from Ukraine's border, where strategic nuclear-capable bombers such as the Tu-95, Tu-160, and Tu-22 were targeted. Another base in Amur, near the Chinese border and roughly 8,000 km from Ukraine, was also attacked. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the operation's success has alarmed Chinese military experts, particularly regarding a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Chinese military aviation analyst and former air force member Fu Qianshao noted the implications extend beyond Russia. 'Such attacks could easily be carried out by secret services or in special military operations," Fu told the South China Morning Post. He cautioned that China must 'guard against enemy forces infiltrating military bases in such a way", highlighting vulnerabilities deep within its expansive territory. Like Russia, China possesses numerous military bases scattered thousands of kilometres inland, within what it considers its 'strategic rear area". Supporting this perspective, Timothy Heath, senior international defence researcher at the US-based Rand Corporation, stated that Operation Spider's Web demonstrated how drones can threaten even the most distant and well-protected military sites. 'Drones can be deployed close to a target and are difficult to defend against," Heath explained. 'It also showed that there are few truly safe spaces in war zones anymore". Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: June 07, 2025, 21:58 IST
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bajrang Dal warns protest in Karnataka
Mangaluru: Bajrang Dal zonal coordinator Prabhanjan Soorya said that a statewide protest will be organised if police book Hindutva activist Bharath Kumdelu in the murder case of Abdul Rahiman. Addressing media persons here on Saturday, Soorya accused the govt of misusing police in connection with the murder case of Abdul Rahiman. "Efforts are being made to fix Bharath Kumdelu in the murder of Rahiman from Kolthamajal. The govt is targeting Hindutva organisation leaders and activists through fabricated evidence in the murder investigation, due to pressure from Muslim groups, by misusing the police department. The Bajrang Dal condemns this very strongly," he said. The Congress govt once planned to ban Bajrang Dal to ensure votes of Muslims during the election. Further, the govt has been trying to bring a bad reputation to the organisation by filing false cases against activists and leaders. In the coastal district, the govt continued its agenda by adding the names of Bajrang Dal leaders to the list of rowdy-sheeters and goonda elements, he said. "Bajrang Dal is a nationalist organisation engaged in hundreds of activities including the protection of cows, women, children, and other initiatives. If Kumdelu's name is included in the case, we will hold protests in all district headquarters and villages," he warned. Police visiting Hindu activists at midnight is an effort to suppress the organisation. He condemned police search at Kumdelu's house. Further, he urged police to find the actual reason behind the murder of Abdul Rahiman to ascertain whether he was killed because of personal enmity. Bajrang Dal leaders Bhujanga Kulal and Puneeth Attavar were present.
