Overview

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar strongly rebutted Muhammad Yunus' description of India's Northeast as 'landlocked' and Bangladesh as the 'only guardian of the ocean.'
• Jaishankar highlighted India's 6,500-km coastline and its pivotal role in connecting BIMSTEC members and facilitating regional trade and logistics.
• Muhammad Yunus' remarks were made during his recent visit to China, where he secured $2.1 billion in aid and signed nine agreements with Beijing, signaling closer ties with China.
• Indian political leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, condemned Yunus' statements as provocative and strategically concerning.
• India's reliance on access to Bangladesh's ports for trade and the strategic vulnerability of the Chicken's Neck corridor underscore the importance of robust regional connectivity.