India keeps ‘keen watch’ as Pakistan strengthens ties with Bangladesh

India on Friday said it is closely monitoring the growing military ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh, marked by a significant increase in military-to-military engagements. Pakistan’s heightened presence in Bangladesh has raised concerns in New Delhi, prompting the Indian government to keep a “keen watch” on developments in the region.

The concerns come after Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency officials visited Dhaka for a meeting with Bangladesh’s establishment led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, and Bangladesh announced its participation in Pakistan’s naval exercise “Aman”, scheduled for next month. This will be the first time a major Bangladesh Navy warship will participate in a Pakistani naval exercise in over a decade. Warships from South Korea and China will also join the exercise.

When asked about India’s concerns, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India always keeps a close eye on developments affecting national security, especially in neighbouring countries. “We monitor these developments closely and take appropriate action as required,” Jaiswal added.