Jaishankar rebuffs Bangladesh's Yunus over Northeast 'landlocked' remark
What's the story
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has clarified that India is aware of its role in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
His remarks came after a controversial statement by Bangladesh's Chief Advisor, Muhammad Yunus, who had called India's Northeast "landlocked," claiming Bangladesh was the main gateway for maritime access to the Southeast region.
Strategic significance
Jaishankar emphasizes India's coastal advantage
Addressing the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand, he said, "India is aware of its special responsibility in regard to BIMSTEC. We, after all, have the longest coastline in the Bay of Bengal, of almost 6,500 km."
"India shares borders not only with five BIMSTEC members, connects most of them, but also provides much of the interface between the Indian Sub-continent and ASEAN," he said.
Infrastructure development
Northeast as a connectivity hub
Jaishankar also highlighted the promise of India's Northeast as a connectivity hub for BIMSTEC.
He said, "Our North-Eastern region in particular is emerging as a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC, with a myriad network of roads, railways, waterways, grids and pipelines."
He added that the completion of the Trilateral Highway will enhance connectivity from India's Northeast all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Unified approach
Jaishankar advocates for integrated cooperation
Furthermore, Jaishankar reiterated that India's cooperation with BIMSTEC is not cherry-picked but integrated.
"We also believe that cooperation is an integrated outlook, not one subject to cherry-picking."
According to PTI, the BIMSTEC meeting would see the attendance of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Bangladesh's Yunus, and Myanmar military junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, among others.
Diplomatic tension
Yunus's remarks spark controversy
During his recent tour to China, Yunus stated that India's Northeast was "landlocked," positioning Bangladesh as the major gateway for the region's maritime access.
"They have no way to reach out to the ocean. We (Bangladesh) are the only guardian of the ocean for this region," he said.
In the same breath, he urged China to extend its economy by leveraging Dhaka's strategic position as the "only guardian of the ocean."
Regional backlash
Political leaders condemn Yunus's comments
Yunus's statements drew sharp responses from political leaders across India, who termed his comments "shameful" and "provocative."
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the statements as "offensive" and "strongly condemnable."
He warned Yunus's comments have revived talks around the Chicken's Neck corridor, a vulnerable piece of land in West Bengal connecting the Northeast with the rest of India.