New Delhi, August 4: India has officially invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman to participate in the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for September in New Delhi. This invitation was extended in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation). BIMSTEC is a group comprising seven member countries around the Bay of Bengal and its adjoining regions.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this platform is vital for connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia. The five members from South Asia include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, while Myanmar and Thailand represent Southeast Asia.
The BIMSTEC region is home to approximately 1.7 billion people, accounting for about 22 percent of the global population. The combined GDP of this region is nearly five trillion US dollars.
During a regular press briefing held by the MEA in New Delhi, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned that the formal invitation for Tariq Rahman to visit India was sent shortly after he assumed office in February 2026.
Jaiswal stated, “You know that the Prime Minister of Bangladesh was formally invited to visit India after taking office in February 2026. Regarding the BRICS Summit, India has separately invited him to participate in the outreach session as the current chair of BIMSTEC. This summit will take place in New Delhi. This invitation follows the customary practice of BRICS outreach meetings, where leaders from other regional organizations are also invited.”
Last week, India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, expressed optimism that Prime Minister Rahman’s visit to India would enhance bilateral relations. He emphasized that all existing issues between India and Bangladesh could be resolved.
Trivedi spoke to reporters after separate meetings with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam in Dhaka. He described these discussions as positive.
According to the Bangladeshi news agency UNB, Trivedi remarked, “I am optimistic about everything. We had a very good meeting, and the discussions took place in a highly positive atmosphere.”
When asked about the invitation for Prime Minister Rahman to visit India, he stated that the final decision rests with the Bangladeshi Prime Minister.
He added, “From our side, I can assure you that we are eager to welcome the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India. We are hopeful that this visit will take place in the near future.”
During the same press briefing, when asked about the Ganga water treaty, Randhir Jaiswal indicated that discussions on this issue would be conducted through existing bilateral mechanisms between India and Bangladesh, including the Joint River Commission and other technical platforms.
He stated, “There are 54 shared rivers between India and Bangladesh. Both countries have a bilateral mechanism like the Joint River Commission and several technical arrangements that facilitate discussions on water-related issues. Any topics related to the Ganga water treaty will also be discussed under these bilateral frameworks.”
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