R&AW Chief and Bangladesh Defence Adviser Meet as Ties Reset

The head of India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), Parag Jain, met Bangladesh's Defence Affairs Adviser, Brig Gen (Retd) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam, in Dhaka on Monday. The meeting took place against the backdrop of ongoing efforts to reset India-Bangladesh relations.

The visit comes on the same day as India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh met Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. While New Delhi has not issued an official statement on the R&AW chief's meeting, sources on both sides described the visit as routine.

Jain, who also serves as Secretary of India's Special Protection Group, was accompanied by a four-member delegation. He arrived in Bangladesh at the invitation of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Bangladesh's premier military intelligence agency. Before travelling to Bangladesh, Jain was in China.

The DGFI, headquartered in the Dhaka Cantonment, is responsible for national security, strategic intelligence collection, and counter-terrorism operations in the country. R&AW, India's primary foreign intelligence agency, gathers external intelligence and reports directly to the Prime Minister of India.

Meetings between intelligence officials of the two countries are not unusual and have taken place in the past. However, the timing of this visit has drawn attention because of the broader diplomatic reset between India and Bangladesh. Sources indicated that discussions during the visit covered bilateral cooperation and security dynamics.

The two countries have seen a series of high-level engagements in recent weeks as they work to normalise ties. The meeting between the High Commissioner and Prime Minister Rahman is part of this process. The intelligence-level dialogue is seen as a measure to build trust and address shared security concerns.

Jain, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service officer from the Punjab cadre, was appointed R&AW chief in July 2025. His visit to Bangladesh is part of a multi-country tour that included a stop in China. The full schedule and agenda of his meetings have not been made public.

Analysts note that intelligence exchanges between India and Bangladesh have historically covered cross-border terrorism, smuggling, and regional stability. While no official statement has been released, the meeting underscores the continued communication between the two neighbours at multiple levels.

Observers will be watching for any further developments that could signal the direction of bilateral relations. For now, officials on both sides emphasise that the engagement is a normal part of diplomatic practice.