In response to the growing military ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh, India has ramped up its security measures, with the Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Daljit Singh Chaudhary, recently visiting the North Bengal Frontier to assess border security. Chaudhary’s visit is particularly significant as the North Bengal region includes the highly sensitive Siliguri Corridor, a vital land passage connecting India’s northeastern states to the rest of the country. The proximity of this corridor to Bangladesh, and the emerging defence cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh, has led India to intensify its surveillance and security protocols.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are deepening their relationship, a development that could have wide-ranging consequences for regional geopolitics, particularly for India. One of the most significant markers of this shift is the upcoming visit of Pakistan’s Joint Chief of Staff Committee Chairman, Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, to Dhaka. This will be the first visit by a senior Pakistani military officer to Bangladesh in over 53 years, underscoring the strategic importance of this evolving partnership.
This military engagement follows a recent meeting between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Bangladesh’s Mohammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh in Cairo, where both leaders discussed unresolved issues from the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Although the details of these discussions remain unclear, it is believed that the focus will be on mending the historical rifts caused by the war. Mirza’s visit is expected to address these issues, while also solidifying military cooperation between the two nations.
In a historic move, a Pakistani military contingent will travel to Bangladesh in February 2024 to train Bangladeshi soldiers in Mominshahi Cantonment—a program that will last for about a year. This is the first such military cooperation between the two countries since the 1971 war, marking a dramatic shift in their defence relations. Additionally, the Bangladesh Navy is set to participate in Pakistan’s ‘Aman’ maritime exercise in February, a significant step that indicates a growing alignment between their military forces.
This warming relationship extends beyond military training. In August 2023, Pakistan supplied Bangladesh with 60 tonnes of RDX and ammunition, further strengthening their defence ties. This collaboration could have strategic implications for India, especially given the vulnerability of the Siliguri Corridor. As Pakistan bolsters its ties with Bangladesh, there are concerns about potential security threats in the region, with India closely monitoring these developments.
India’s vigilance is evident in the steps taken by the BSF, which is responsible for securing the border with Bangladesh. The BSF DG’s visit to the North Bengal Frontier and the Teen Bigha Corridor—a critical and sensitive area between the two countries—underscores India’s concern about the growing defence relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh.