WITH the assumption of office as the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has put India’s relations with its immediate neighbours as his foreign policy focus area. To take this policy forward on the 22nd of June the External Affairs Minister chaired a meeting of the Heads of the Mission (HoM) from neighbouring countries including China, Myanmar, Iran and Central Asian countries where reportedly issues concerning India’s relations with its neighbours were discussed and effort was made to identify policy priorities which would require government’s intervention. In this context, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj scheduled to visit Bangladesh which is her ‘first stand-alone visit abroad as foreign minister’ only proves the new NDA government’s engagement with neighbouring countries is a priority. Though this visit is a part of ‘good will visit’ on the invitation of her counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali it will also serve to appraise herself on the state of Indo-Bangladesh relations. Read more
