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India terms Bangladesh’s election ‘internal matter’


By BSS
Published : 11 Nov 2023 01:17 AM

Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra has said that as far as Bangladesh is concerned, India has shared its "perspective very clearly" in the India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held in New Delhi on Friday. 

"We did discuss very extensively regional issues and so far Bangladesh is concerned, we shared our perspective very clearly in the dialogue," he told a post dialogue press briefing in the afternoon. 

Indian Defence Secretary Aramane Giridha and MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, among others, were present at the briefing. 

When asked whether recent political developments and election issues in Bangladesh were discussed in the dialogue, Kwatra said, "It is not our (India) space to comment on the policy of a third country...the election in Bangladesh is their internal matter and it is for the people of Bangladesh to decide their future". 

He continued, "We as a close friend and partners of Bangladesh, we respect the democratic process in Bangladesh and will continue to support the country's vision of a stable, peaceful and progressive nation". 

Responding to volley of questions from media, he said the two sides in the 5th edition of India-US 2+2 dialogue comprehensively reviewed bilateral ties, 

multi-lateral and regional issues, trade and investment partnership, value 

supply chain securitization, common challenges India and US are facing and 

how to harness opportunities.

Besides, the foreign secretary said growing connectivity like India-Middle 

East-Europe Economic Corridor, Continuing and Growing Cooperation under QUAD 

framework, Indo-Pacific Partnership and the perspective of India's leadership 

in global south were extensively discussed in the dialogue. 

The American delegation at the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue talks was led by US 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin while 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh 

headed the Indian side.