Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in Bangkok on Friday (April 04), in their first face-to-face interaction since Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power last year.

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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the meeting took place on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC leaders’ summit, with India clearly expressing its backing for a democratic, stable, peaceful and inclusive Bangladesh.

Also read: PM Modi holds first bilateral meet with Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus on BIMSTEC Summit sidelines

Modi raises concerns over minorities

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Modi, during the meeting, also flagged India’s concerns about the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, especially the Hindu community, and urged Yunus to take action to protect minority rights and probe recent incidents of violence, Misri said.

“PM Modi reiterated India's support for democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. He underlined Prof. Yunus India's desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh. The PM also urged that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided,” foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.

“On the border, strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossing are necessary to maintain border security. The PM also underlines India's concerns over the safety and security of minorities, including Hindus in Bangladesh,” he added.

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The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, alongside Modi and Yunus.

Also read: PM Modi, Bangladesh’s Yunus ‘under one roof’ for first time, but tensions over Hasina, ‘guardian of the sea’ jab loom large

Bangladesh pushes for water-sharing talks

On the Bangladeshi side, officials said Yunus raised some key issues, including the Teesta river-water sharing agreement, the renewal of the Ganga treaty, and border killings. Discussions around Sheikh Hasina’s extradition and her recent comments while in India were also reportedly brought up.

Dhaka described the meeting as “constructive, productive, and fruitful”, with both sides airing their priorities amid strained ties.

Diplomatic tensions simmer over China comments

The talks came just a day after Jaishankar delivered a subtle but firm response to Yunus’s recent comments in China, where he described Northeast India as “landlocked” and Bangladesh as the “only guardian of the ocean” for the region.

Speaking at the 20th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting, Jaishankar said, “Our Northeast region in particular is emerging as a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC, with a myriad network of roads, railways, waterways, grids, and pipelines.”

He added that India’s Northeast, through initiatives like the Trilateral Highway, would be connected “all the way to the Pacific Ocean”, calling it a “game-changer.”

Also read: 'Longest coastline in...': India's 'cherry-picking' jab at Bangladesh's Yunus over Northeast 'landlocked' remark

Relations between India and Bangladesh have been tense since the interim government led by Yunus took charge in August 2024, following Sheikh Hasina’s ousting. India has voiced concern over attacks on minorities and Yunus’s foreign policy choices, particularly his warm ties with China.

(With inputs from agencies)