‘Done By Groups With Vested Interests’: Foreign Secretary On ‘India Out’ Campaign In Bangladesh

Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra on Saturday dismissed concerns regarding the recent so-called ‘India Out’ campaign in Bangladesh. “We need to work together as much as possible to project the correct narrative of people of the two countries,” Kwatra said.

“These campaigns are organised by vested groups. It is important for people to realise that. These are done by an isolated group with vested interests. (These are) not factual (and are a) figment of imagination. Such campaigns are (being) duly addressed,” he said while addressing a press conference following the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

India and Bangladesh on Saturday firmed up a futuristic vision to shore up cooperation in several new areas and signed 10 agreements to boost ties in several key sectors including in maritime sphere and blue economy.

It should be noted that India is a central theme in Bangladesh’s domestic politics and society because of India’s significant role in its independence.

Following the release of Bangladesh election results which saw Sheikh Hasina get re-elected amid opposition boycott of the polls, a section of Bangladeshi influencers took to social media to push an “India Out” campaign calling for boycott of Indian products and propagated hashtags like #IndiaOut and #BoycottIndia.

The influencers alleged India was supporting Hasina despite her alleged crackdown on the opposition figures. The campaign was supported by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

India’s exports to Bangladesh have grown at an annualised rate of 10 percent, rising from$1.05 billion in 1995 to$13.8 billion in 2022 in the last 27 years, a report by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) said.

However, Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged Indian businesses to invest in the country’s special economic zones, highlighting the huge potential for bilateral economic cooperation.

Addressing Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) members on Friday evening, Hasina said both India and Bangladesh should work together to do business.

“All over India, there is a huge market so both the countries can work jointly and share our experiences. There is a good opportunity to do business,” Hasina said, stressing that doing business is a key part of the bilateral relationship.