"High time for India to be strict": Foreign Affairs Expert on India's trade restrictions to Bangladesh

Times of Oman

20-05-2025

New Delhi: India's decision to restrict land port trading with Bangladesh sends a clear message of vigilance and was a strict response to a few concerning developments in India's eastern neighbour amid tensions between India and Pakistan, as per foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev.
Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Sachdev stated that the move was a "strict response" to Bangladesh's movements promoting 'Greater Bangla' and 'Sultanate Bangla', which claim territories such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Northeast India.
"The way Bangladesh is going, it was necessary for India to take some strict action. By blocking the trade routes over land from Bangladesh, India is signalling that we are noticing and taking with due consideration and seriousness what Bangladesh is doing. In Bangladesh, some movements have started for 'Greater Bangla' and 'Sultanate Bangla', which include Bihar, Jharkhand and the Northeast of India on their map," he said.
"It is now high time for India to be strict with Bangladesh... Bangladesh is also trying to put pressure on India amid India-Pakistan tensions," Sachdev added.
He highlighted that the trade restrictions were poised to significantly impact Bangladesh's exports, especially given its struggling economy. He noted that Bangladesh, as a seller, would face challenges in securing new buyers in the global market, which would create substantial trade difficulties for Dhaka.
"By acting strictly and restricting trade to only incoming from the ports of Kolkata and Nhava Sheva in Mumbai, we are looking to decrease our imports from Bangladesh. So, essentially, Bangladesh's exports will suffer... We are buyers; we could buy from somewhere else, as normally it's easier if you're a buyer, but as a seller, it is difficult to sell your goods," he said.
"Bangladesh will face problems with regard to its trade, particularly when its economy is in tatters... So by taking this strict and clear action, I think India is standing firm and saying that, even if we engage with Pakistan, we are not distracted. We are paying attention to what Bangladesh is doing," the Foreign Expert said on Bangladesh's attempt to pressure India during India-Pakistan engagements.
Eadrleir, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), reported that India's restrictions on imports from Bangladesh via land ports will impact goods worth USD 770 million, accounting for nearly 42 per cent of total bilateral imports.
This came after the Ministry of Commerce and Industry imposed immediate land port restrictions on the import of several categories of goods from Bangladesh on Saturday, following a directive issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
The move limits the entry of products such as ready-made garments and processed foods to specific seaports, an official press release by the Ministry stated and is widely viewed as a response to Bangladesh's recent curbs on Indian yarn, rice, and other goods, along with its decision to impose a transit fee on Indian cargo, marking a shift from previously cooperative trade relations.