Jaishankar meets neighboring foreign ministers at Indian Ocean Conference
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar held a series of meetings with his counterparts from neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat on Sunday.
“Met Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. Conversation was focused on our bilateral relationship, as also on BIMSTEC,” Jaishankar posted on X after meeting Hossain, who serves as the Foreign Affairs Advisor to the interim Bangladeshi government led by Muhammad Yunus.
The Indian minister also engaged in discussions with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Maldives’ Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel, and Mauritius’ Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ritish Ramful.
The 8th Indian Ocean Conference, held on February 16-17 in Muscat, Oman, is organized by the India Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman. The theme for this year’s event is “Voyages to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership”, emphasizing regional maritime cooperation.
Jaishankar and Hossain previously met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2024, marking the first high-level engagement between India and Bangladesh’s interim government following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
While India has advocated for stable relations with Bangladesh, the current regime in Dhaka has faced criticism for groundless accusations and alleged targeting of Hindu minorities since the student uprising and the fall of Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024.
In December 2024, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka on a day-long trip, conveying New Delhi’s concerns regarding minority safety and overall stability in Bangladesh.
The 6th BIMSTEC Summit is set to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from April 2-4, 2025, where Bangladesh will assume the BIMSTEC chairmanship.
