“India has to find ground of mutual interest with Bangladesh,” EAM Jaishankar says

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that India has to find a ground of mutual interest with Bangladesh and India would deal with ‘the government of the day’.

Speaking at the release of Ambassdor Rajiv Sikri’s new book, “Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping India’s Foreign Policy”, the External Affairs minister said that the political changes in Bangladesh can be ‘disruptive’.

“Since Bangladesh’s independence, our relationship has gone up and down, and it is natural that we will deal with the government of the day. But we also have to recognise that there are political changes, and they can be disruptive. And clearly here we have to look for mutuality of interest,” Jaishankar said.

Speaking about Maldives, EAM S Jaishankar said that India’s relations with Maldives went through several ups and downs.

“Where Maldives is concerned, we’ve had ups and downs. Ups and downs, were not just in the nature of the regime, but in our own approach to Maldives. We’ve had the 1988 intervention, but yet we were very impassive in 2012 when there was a change of government. There is a certain lack of constancy here, but it is a relationship in which we are very deeply invested, and there is today a recognition in Maldives,” he said.

Jaishankar added that during his recent visit to Maldives, he realized that the island’s relationship with India is a steadying force.

“I saw that in my recent visit that this relationship is a steadying force as they get into somewhat choppy waters where their own prospects are concerned, especially in terms of the economic challenges,” he said.

On August 11, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President Abdulla Shahid met with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar during his visit to Male on Saturday, expressing confidence that India will always be the first to assist the Maldives in times of need.

Shahid acknowledged the economic and diplomatic setbacks caused by the previous government’s anti-India stance and welcomed the current shift towards improved relations.