The recent visit of Sheikh Hasina to the Maldives provided an opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship and enhance connectivity, trade and commerce between the two countries. The visit also signified Bangladesh’s growing importance in the international politics.
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Anand Kumar’s article, ‘China lurking, India walks tightrope on Myanmar’ has been published in ‘The Tribune’ on January 01, 2022.
Myanmar needs to be handled carefully for geopolitical reasons amid the unrest prevailing in the country. China has always been deeply entrenched in Myanmar. It has been a major supplier of weapons. Myanmar has been sourcing fighter jets, jointly manufactured by China and Pakistan. Russia, another major player, has been contacted by Myanmar for the supply of weapons, says Dr. Kumar.
Sheikh Hasina and her India-friendly policies are not liked by her domestic and international opponents. The Awami League government should remain vigilant to the designs of forces inimical to it, and not let them undo the progress in India–Bangladesh relations.
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Anand Kumar’s article ‘China’s coercive diplomacy targets Bhutan’ has been published in ‘The Tribune’ on November 02, 2021.
Bhutan is one of India’s strongest allies, but the bilateral relationship has been undergoing a perceptible change. Both countries re-negotiated their 1949 treaty and entered into a new treaty of friendship in 2007. The treaty replaced the provision which required Bhutan to take India’s guidance on foreign policy, says Dr. Kumar.
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Anand Kumar’s article, ‘South Asia sits on a powder keg’ has been published in ‘The Statesman’ on October 27, 2021.
The return of the Taliban in Kabul has intensified the sectarian and communal strife in South Asia. The United States had entered Afghanistan to uproot the Taliban and eliminate Al-Qaeda. Both these objectives remained unfulfilled when they withdrew, says Dr. Anand.
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Anand Kumar’s article ‘Needed: A New Policy for Kashmir’ has been published in Daily Excelsior on October 19, 2021.
India should start arming minority community and train them in self-defense so that they can protect themselves in the face of terror. Besides the government also has to bring policies which creates a balanced demography in the Kashmir valley. These are extra –ordinary measures, but they are required in these extra-ordinary times to maintain the unity and integrity of India, says Dr. Kumar.
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Anand Kumar's book on Bangladesh titled, 'Bangladesh and its Security Relationship with External Powers' has been published by KW Publishers.
A state’s security is heavily dependent upon its geopolitical environment. The geopolitical setting of South Asia changed in 1971 with the birth of Bangladesh as a new, independent nation. India already faces a hostile neighbour on its western border. In the north, China is a major threat. In this geopolitical setting the kind of relationship India has developed with Bangladesh becomes important.
The military coup of August 1975 in Bangladesh marked a major shift in the way the country perceived its foreign and defence policies. India, its supporter in the liberation war, was now presented as the main threat to national security. A country’s defence policy and defence-related procurements depend on the threat perception of that country. Bangladesh, despite being a poor country, has tried to acquire significant defence capability mainly due to its perceived sense of insecurity and to some extent to participate in the United Nations peacekeeping operations. Some of the steps taken by Bangladesh purportedly to enhance its own security have meant that the security environment in the region has actually deteriorated. In this context Bangladesh’s security relationship with other major powers has significant implications for Indian security, and the book tries to throw light on it.
The domestic politics of the Maldives might significantly change if the position of the MDP government weakens. It might change the flavour of India–Maldives bilateral relationship and will also have an impact on the security environment in the Indian Ocean region.
Sheikh Hasina’s Visit to Maldives Boosts Bilateral Relationship
The recent visit of Sheikh Hasina to the Maldives provided an opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship and enhance connectivity, trade and commerce between the two countries. The visit also signified Bangladesh’s growing importance in the international politics.