Bangladesh-China Joint Statement: Mongla Port Deal Raises Questions for India

A joint statement issued after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent visit to China has highlighted a new phase in bilateral relations between the two countries. While such statements typically focus on the relationship between the signatories, this document also touches on issues that could affect Bangladesh's ties with India.

Earlier this year, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman stated that Dhaka does not view its foreign policy as a zero-sum game and expressed hope that other nations would extend similar interpretive generosity. He emphasised that Bangladesh's relationships with other countries are not a problem.

With Tarique Rahman's first foreign trip as Prime Minister being to China, some experts in India believe certain aspects of the joint statement could impact India-Bangladesh relations. The statement notes that the Bangladeshi side believes China's 15th Five-Year Plan will bring significant development opportunities for Bangladesh. Both sides agreed to elevate their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to jointly build a China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era.

The two sides conducted in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations and regional and international affairs of common interest, reaching broad consensus. They agreed to maintain high-level interactions, increase exchanges on governance experience, and strengthen cooperation between governments, legislative bodies, and political parties. They also agreed to set up a mechanism for strategic dialogue between foreign ministers and to explore a '2+2' dialogue mechanism on diplomacy and defence.

Of particular interest to India is the announcement regarding Mongla Port. The joint statement says both sides agreed to jointly advance the Mongla Port Facilities Modernisation and Expansion Project and the development of the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone in Chattogram. This comes after the interim government under Muhammad Yunus reversed some decisions, including cancelling land allotment to India in Chittagong.

Previously, India had secured operational rights to a terminal at Mongla Port, which was seen as a strategic win to counter China's influence in the Indian Ocean region. The new joint statement appears to place both Mongla Port and the Chittagong zone firmly in China's ambit. Ambassador Veena Sikri, former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, noted that a comparison with the joint statement issued when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India in June 2024 shows that the Mongla Port modernisation project was then assigned to India, along with the Teesta water management project. She observed that under the Yunus regime, some reversals occurred, and it remains to be seen how the new government under Tarique Rahman will balance its relationships.

The developments underscore the shifting dynamics in the region, as Bangladesh navigates its ties with both China and India.