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India Seeks Friendly Ties with Bangladesh: Rajnath Singh
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized India’s commitment to maintaining friendly relations with Bangladesh, aligning with its approach to fostering good ties with all neighboring countries.
In an exclusive interview with IANS on Saturday, Singh stated, “India always seeks good relations with its neighbors, and Bangladesh is no exception. As former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, we can change friends, but not our neighbors. We aim to maintain strong ties with Bangladesh.”
At a media briefing on Friday, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s support for a “stable, peaceful, inclusive, and progressive” Bangladesh, where all issues are addressed through democratic means and “inclusive and participatory” elections. However, Jaiswal also voiced concerns over the worsening law and order situation in Bangladesh, particularly following the release of violent extremists convicted of serious crimes.
On the bilateral front, officials from both countries recently held the 86th meeting of the Joint River Commission in Kolkata, discussing the renewal of the 30-year-old Ganges water-sharing treaty, set to expire next year. The discussions also covered technical matters related to water measurement and other mutual concerns.
Regarding the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh, Jaiswal stressed that India expects Bangladesh to conduct thorough investigations into incidents of violence against minorities, including Hindus, and ensure that all perpetrators of such crimes are brought to justice.