Even though India is not a member of BRICS, it sent a special invitation to Bangladesh PM Tariq Rahman – ..

New Delhi has taken a huge diplomatic step towards resolving the tensions that have been going on between India and Bangladesh for some time. India is going to host the prestigious 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi in the month of September this year. Although Bangladesh is not officially a member or observer country of BRICS, yet India has extended a big heart and sent a formal invitation to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman to attend this summit as a special guest. This is being considered a historic initiative to bring the relations between the two neighboring countries back on track, on which the eyes of the whole world are fixed.

The ball is in the court of Dhaka PMO, Shama Obaid Islam confirmed the invitation.

An official response has also come from the Government of Bangladesh regarding this special invitation sent by India. Bangladesh’s Deputy Foreign Minister Shama Obaid Islam confirmed in Dhaka on Thursday that the invitation letter from the Indian side has been received by her Foreign Ministry and has been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for the final decision. If Prime Minister Tariq Rehman accepts the invitation, it will be his first visit to India after his party BNP forms the government in February 2026. This possible visit will pave the way for the first bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tariq Rehman, thereby resuming the long-stalled high-level dialogue between the two countries.

Important issues like improving sour relations and Ganga Water Treaty will be discussed.

Relations between the two countries had reached their lowest ebb during the 15-month tenure of the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government, and the issue of former PM Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India after August 2024 also remains a major sticking point in bilateral relations. Despite this, this invitation from New Delhi may prove helpful in melting the ice between the two countries. Apart from this, important issues like the renewal of the historic 1996 Ganga Water Treaty which is set to expire on 31 December 2026 and the appointments of new High Commissioners being made by both the countries at the diplomatic level are expected to be discussed during this possible meeting.