What happened?
Bangladesh’s interim government’s Advisor for Foreign Affairs, Md Touhid Hossain, is visiting China from January 20 to 24, 2025. During his visit, Hossain has held discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The discussions primarily focused on the issue of Chinese debt owed by Bangladesh.
Why it matters to India
Amid the political crisis in Bangladesh since August 2024, China has intensified its diplomatic activities in the country. For instance, Chinese representatives have held meetings with student leaders and political party representatives who played a key role in toppling Sheikh Hasina’s government. Notably, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), 73% of Bangladesh’s military imports between 2010 to 2020 came from China. Bangladesh also owes over $6 billion in debt to China. Therefore, Advisor Touhid Hossain’s decision to choose China for his first bilateral visit, reaffirming Bangladesh’s commitment to China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and China’s decision to extend Bangladesh’s loan repayment period appear to signal the growing influence of China in the neighbourhood, which is a concern for India.