Foreign Minister Khalilur set for first India trip since BNP took office

The foreign minister will meet Jaishankar in New Delhi with both sides looking to heal a year-long rift

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, who served as national security advisor during Muhammad Yunus’s interim government, is set to make the first high-level visit to India since the BNP assumed power, following a period of strained ties.

Ministry officials confirmed that the minister will stop in New Delhi on Apr 7–8 while en route to Mauritius for the 9th Indian Ocean Conference.

During the visit, he is expected to hold bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.

Dhaka and New Delhi are also coordinating schedules for meetings with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

Given the current global energy market volatility, a discussion with Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is also on the cards, an official said.

The IOC 2026 will be held in Mauritius from Apr 10–12 under the initiative of the Delhi-based think tank India Foundation.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Humayun Kabir is expected to accompany the foreign minister on the trip.

Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi had come under strain during the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus following the 2024 uprising that ousted the Sheikh Hasina administration.

The period saw mutual diplomatic summons and public protests.

India had maintained it would engage with an elected government in Bangladesh rather than the interim administration.

A shift in Delhi’s stance became visible following the death of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and interest in working together in a letter to Tarique.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar later visited Dhaka with the message and met Tarique.

Following the Feb 17 national election that brought the BNP to power, India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended the new government’s inauguration.

In a further sign of improving ties, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah met Jaishankar in New Delhi on Mar 20, nearly a year after assuming his post.

Earlier, he had only held a courtesy meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Responding to a question on resuming full visa services for Bangladeshis, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed said India had indicated the process would be normalised.

“For trade, business and people-to-people relations, including medical visas, the process should be eased and returned to previous levels,” she said.

“They have told us they want to rebuild ties with Bangladesh under the new government, and we expect they will take that into consideration.”