Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday emphasized that India wants to see a free, fair, inclusive, and participatory election in Bangladesh as soon as possible. He reaffirmed New Delhi’s readiness to work with any democratically elected government in Dhaka, following the results of such an election.

Misri made the remarks during an interaction with a 23-member delegation from the Diplomatic Correspondents Association Bangladesh (DCAB) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi. Senior Indian officials including MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal and Joint Secretary (Bangladesh and Myanmar) B. Shyam were present during the discussion.

Addressing questions on bilateral ties and political developments, Misri clarified that India’s engagement with Bangladesh is not biased toward any particular political group. “We should set aside the perception that we have a favourite,” he said, reiterating India’s commitment to work with all stakeholders in Dhaka.

The Foreign Secretary also touched upon former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India, describing it as a “judicial legal process” that involves continued engagement and consultation between the two governments.

Misri further discussed broader bilateral issues, including border management and water-sharing agreements, acknowledging that “some issues are natural in any relationship.”

The visit comes amid political uncertainty in Bangladesh, with growing international interest in ensuring a credible electoral process and regional stability.