Dhaka-Delhi seek fresh momentum in relations

Bangladesh and India have held wide-ranging discussions aimed at resetting bilateral relations, signalling a renewed push for cooperation following the formation of Dhaka’s new government. The talks took place between Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in New Delhi.

Senior Indian politician Arif Mohammed Khan is being considered for appointment as India’s next high commissioner to Bangladesh, according to media reports. If confirmed, the move would mark a notable shift in New Delhi’s diplomatic approach toward Dhaka.

India has been urged to recalibrate its neighbourhood policy and ease trade barriers with Bangladesh ahead of an upcoming visit by Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman to New Delhi. The visit will mark the first high-level political engagement between the two countries since PM Tarique Rahman assumed office earlier this year.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to Israel for his second official visit, highlighting the growing strategic partnership between the two countries even as the war in Gaza continues.

Indian Premier Narendra Modi will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on 17 February for high-level talks aimed at assessing progress in the India–France strategic partnership and expanding cooperation into new sectors.

India is preparing to approve a landmark government-to-government defence deal with France to acquire 114 Dassault Rafale F4 multirole fighter jets, a purchase estimated at around Rs 3.25 lakh crore and set to become the country’s largest combat aircraft acquisition to date.

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has triggered its early warning and urgent action mechanism over what it described as systemic discrimination and escalating violence affecting minority and tribal communities in India.

US President Donald Trump announced a significant trade agreement with India on Tuesday, saying Washington and New Delhi have agreed to reduce reciprocal tariffs and expand economic cooperation after months of negotiations. The deal was unveiled following a telephone call between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Incidents of hate speech targeting religious minorities in India increased by 13 percent in 2025, according to a new report released on Tuesday by the Washington-based India Hate Lab, raising renewed concerns over the country’s social and political climate.

India and the European Union have finalised a long-awaited free trade agreement that will cover nearly a quarter of the global economy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday, marking a major shift in global trade ties amid growing uncertainty in relations with the United States.

India has decided to recall family members and dependents of its diplomats and officials stationed in Bangladesh, citing security concerns ahead of the country’s February 12 national elections, Indian media reported, quoting official sources.

US President Donald Trump has formally invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join a proposed international “Board of Peace” for Gaza, an initiative Washington says is aimed at ending the conflict and laying the groundwork for long-term stability in the Middle East.

Iran and India have held high-level diplomatic talks as tensions continue to simmer across the Middle East, with Tehran strongly criticising what it described as ongoing US interference in regional affairs.

India is planning to set up a new naval facility in Haldia, West Bengal, as part of efforts to bolster maritime surveillance amid growing Chinese naval activity and evolving regional dynamics involving Bangladesh and Pakistan, according to defence sources quoted by India Today.

US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind a bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill aimed at pressuring major buyers of Russian oil, including China, India and Brazil, as Washington seeks to choke off revenue streams funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

The United States Department of Defense’s 2025 annual report on China’s military and security developments, though written for a domestic American audience, carries far-reaching implications for India’s strategic and defence planning.