New Delhi

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and his delegation on Wednesday, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties as well as discussing key regional and global developments.

The meeting, held in the national capital, centred on enhancing cooperation between the two neighbouring countries and reviewing the overall direction of their partnership. Sharing details of the interaction on X, Jaishankar said he was pleased to host Rahman and noted that both sides explored multiple aspects of their relationship. He also mentioned that they exchanged perspectives on international and regional issues and agreed to stay in close contact.

Rahman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for what Bangladesh described as a goodwill visit, expected to play a crucial role in expanding cooperation between the two nations in a more effective and sustainable manner.

Welcoming the visiting minister, India’s Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the long-standing and friendly ties between India and Bangladesh, underlining that their relationship is deeply rooted in strong people-to-people connections. The ministry expressed confidence that the visit would further strengthen bilateral engagement.

The visit also serves as a brief stop before Rahman travels to Mauritius to attend the Indian Ocean Conference scheduled from April 10 to 12.

During his stay in Delhi, Rahman is expected to hold meetings with senior Indian officials, including the National Security Advisor and the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. According to Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry, these engagements aim to reinforce stable and long-term cooperation based on mutual trust, respect, and shared interests.

This visit is being seen as an important step toward revitalising bilateral relations following a period of political transition in Bangladesh. Officials in Dhaka have expressed hope that it will help lay the groundwork for deeper and more sustainable collaboration in the future. The delegation also includes Humayun Kabir, who is accompanying the Foreign Minister on both the India visit and the Mauritius conference.

Notably, this marks the first ministerial-level visit to India since the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government assumed office in February. The outreach is viewed as an effort to reset ties after a challenging phase during the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, which saw strains in relations amid concerns over anti-India sentiment and reports of violence against Hindu minorities.

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Earlier this week, groundwork for the discussions was laid when India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka. During the meeting, Verma reaffirmed India’s commitment to building a constructive and forward-looking partnership based on shared goals and mutual benefit.