Fri Apr 04 05:17:43 UTC 2025: ## Modi and Yunus Meet Amid Strained India-Bangladesh Relations
**Bangkok, April 4, 2025** – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus shared a dinner table at a BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, sparking interest given the recent downturn in India-Bangladesh relations. Photographs released by Mr. Yunus’ office show the two leaders seated together at a dinner hosted by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. A bilateral meeting between the two leaders is also expected on Friday.
Tensions have risen between India and Bangladesh since the interim government, led by Mr. Yunus, took power following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last August. India has expressed concerns over violence against Hindus and the rise of hardline Islamist groups in Bangladesh.
Further fueling tensions, Mr. Yunus recently advocated for increased Chinese economic influence in Bangladesh during a visit to China. He controversially suggested that India’s northeastern states, being landlocked, presented an opportunity for China to extend its economic reach, referring to Bangladesh as the region’s “only guardian of the ocean.” These remarks have drawn criticism in both India and Bangladesh, with officials issuing clarifications. The meeting between Modi and Yunus will be closely watched for signs of improving bilateral relations.
First Piper 