External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a sharp rebuttal to Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who recently described India’s Northeast as “landlocked” and positioned Bangladesh as the “guardian of ocean access” for the region. Speaking at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand, Jaishankar emphasized India’s strategic role in regional connectivity and highlighted its 6,500-km coastline—the longest in the Bay of Bengal.
Jaishankar stated, “India shares borders not only with five BIMSTEC members but also provides much of the interface between the Indian subcontinent and ASEAN. Our North-Eastern region is emerging as a connectivity hub for BIMSTEC, with a myriad network of roads, railways, waterways, grids, and pipelines.” He underscored India’s commitment to integrated cooperation, rejecting Yunus’ notion of “cherry-picking” issues.
Yunus’ remarks, made during his visit to China, sparked controversy in India, particularly in the Northeast. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the comments as “offensive,” while former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh accused Bangladesh of using the region as a strategic pawn.
Jaishankar’s response not only reaffirmed India’s leadership in BIMSTEC but also highlighted the Northeast’s potential as a connectivity hub, with projects like the Trilateral Highway set to link the region to the Pacific Ocean.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
