Avoid rhetoric that vitiates environment, Modi tells Yunus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday cautioned Bangladesh’s chief advisor, Muhammad Yunus, against “rhetoric that vitiates the environment,” on the sidelines of the regional BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.

Modi asked Yunus to ensure strict law enforcement and prevent illegal border crossings, especially at night, necessary for maintaining border security and stability.

The prime minister’s remarks come after Yunus sparked a controversy during his recent visit to China, where he referred to his country as a “Guardian of the Ocean” for India’s “landlocked” North-East region, while suggesting that the Chinese could leverage his country’s strategic location for an “extension of its economy.”

Modi also reaffirmed India’s support for a democratic and peaceful Bangladesh, highlighting the tangible benefits of bilateral cooperation and India’s commitment to a pragmatic, positive relationship.

He also underlined India’s concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the government would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating the cases of atrocities committed against them.

Congratulating Bangladesh on assuming the chair of BIMSTEC, Modi said he looked forward to the forum further advancing regional cooperation under its leadership.

He also expressed his conviction that all issues of mutual interest between the two countries would continue to be addressed and resolved bilaterally through constructive discussions, in the interest of their long standing and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship.

Meanwhile, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, while speaking at the 20th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Thursday, took a swipe at Yunus, without naming Dhaka, saying that India believes that “cooperation is an integrated outlook, not one subject to cherry picking.”

“Keeping the geo-strategic factor in mind, we have devoted increasing energies and attention to the strengthening of BIMSTEC in the last decade. We also believe that cooperation is an integrated outlook, not one subject to cherry picking,” Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar said the completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway will connect India’s North-East to the Pacific Ocean, adding that the region “is emerging as a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC with a myriad network of roads, railways, waterways, grids and pipelines.”

The trilateral highway spans about 1,360 km, connecting Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand via Kalewa, Mandalay, and Naypyidaw in Myanmar.

Initially planned for operationalization by 2015, the project faced delays due to political instability in Myanmar. The revised completion target is now set for 2027.

The highway will boost trade and commerce between India and ASEAN countries and is expected to generate $70 billion in incremental GDP annually and create 20 million jobs.

Stressing the importance of BIMSTEC from India’s perspective, Jaishankar added that the grouping represents the trifecta of India’s three crucial initiatives: the Act East policy, the Neighborhood First approach, and the MAHA-SAGAR outlook.

He added that BIMSTEC is also on the pathway to India’s Indo-Pacific commitment. India’s bilateral relationships with individual BIMSTEC members are also strong and steadily growing, which is a further source of strength.

Besides India and Bangladesh, BIMSTEC comprises Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Yunus had sparked controversy regarding India’s Northeast during his recent visit to China, where he proposed that Beijing leverage Bangladesh’s strategic location.

Referring to the seven northeastern states of India as the “Seven Sisters,” Yunus said they are a “landlocked region” with “no way to reach out to the ocean.”

He also suggested that Bangladesh could serve as a maritime gateway for trade and economic activities involving China, India’s Northeast, Nepal, and Bhutan.