Dhaka

Chinese Navy's training ship Qi Jiguang and amphibious dock landing ship Jinggangshan docked at Bangladesh's Chittagong this weekend, a move that should raise security concerns for India.

Advertisment

The docking on Saturday (Oct 13) as part of a three-day goodwill visit was the first since the dramatic events of August that saw the ouster of Sheikh Hasina as Bangladesh prime minister after months-long student-led protests and the installation of an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. 

Watch: Bangladesh crisis: India expresses concern over Bangladesh crisis

×

Advertisment

The port call, characterised by Chinese envoy to Bangladesh Yao Wen as a symbol of strengthening of Bangladesh-China ties, aims to enhance cooperation with the Bangladesh Navy.

Delhi circles are viewing this as another instance of China exerting its influence in the region. Some security analysts are setting off alarm bells about the increasing Chinese influence in the region.  

This is a threat to India's influence, with Frédéric Grare of the Australian National University noting that the China-Bangladesh dynamics could unsettle India.

Advertisment

Also read: Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh praises students who protested against previous Hasina govt

While the port visit of Chinese ships is a mark of continuity and not a qualitative change in relationship, Delhi should and is probably worried about the overall dynamic and uncomfortable with the present uncertainty, The South China Morning Post quoted him as saying.

The Bangladesh port call comes close on the heels of similar military gengagesments by China in South Asia, including the establishment of a submarine base in Bangladesh in May and presence of Chinese ships in Sri Lanaka. 

“These facilities can also host Chinese research vessels, whose increasing presence in the Indian Ocean, particularly around the Maldives and Sri Lanka, is a growing concern for New Delhi,” Viraj Solanki from the International Institute for Strategic Studies told the paper.

A Chinese naval ship recently docked in Sri Lanka, amid consternation in India about the so-called 'research vessels' visiting ports in the island nation, which India suspects are maritime surveillance operations.

India and the current regime in Bangladesh have not started off well, particularly as New Delhi was seen to be supporting Hasina, who had sought refuge in the neighbouring country after the political upheaval of August.

The support China shows to Yunus regime should make India shift its approach towards Bangladesh, according to analysts.

Bangladesh is strategically significant in regional geopolitics, a fact underscored by the Chinese naval diplomacy.

In May, the two nations held the first joint military training exercise, The Golden Friendship, focused on anti-terrorism and UN peacekeeping operations. Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said it included hostage rescue  and counter-terror drills.

With China in mind, India is also enhancing its defence cooperation with neighbours.

Earlier in October, India and the Maldives agreed to enhance maritime security cooperation after a visit by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu.

Also read: Indian, Maldivian govts sign MoUs including currency swap deal worth $400 million

With Sri Lanka, India established maritime rescue coordination centres in June in Hambantota and Colombo. India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius are part of the Colombo Security Conclave on maritime cooperation.

For its part, China had entered into several pacts with Bangladesh before the August uprising. Pooja Bhatt at the Jindal School of International Affairs in India noted that Beijing is keen to continue these engagements and revive its military ties with Bangladesh under its new government.

Lailufar Yasmin at the University of Dhaka said the arrival of Chinese vessels should prompt Delhi to reassess its relationship with the new Bangladeshi government. “It should also carefully consider the overwhelming support that the new regime of Bangladesh received worldwide, including in China and carefully recalibrate its relationship with Bangladesh 2.0.” 

"India should start recognising the rationale behind the Bangladesh revolution instead of pointing fingers at external actors,” SCMP quoted her as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)