India has invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi as a special guest despite Dhaka not being a member of the bloc….reports Asian Lite News Desk
India has invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi as a special guest, despite Bangladesh not being a member or observer of the grouping, according to Bangladeshi media reports.
The summit is scheduled to be held on September 12 and 13, with leaders expected to discuss global cooperation, trade and sustainable development.
Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam confirmed on Thursday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had received the invitation from India and forwarded it to the Prime Minister’s Office.
According to local media, Bangladesh has been invited as a special guest by India, which is hosting this year’s summit under its BRICS presidency.
The invitation is being viewed as a diplomatic gesture aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and promoting regional cooperation between New Delhi and Dhaka.
The current BRICS grouping comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
India’s presidency of BRICS is being held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, reflecting a people-centric and humanity-first approach outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
The invitation follows a series of recent steps that suggest closer engagement between India and Bangladesh.
Last month, the Indian government granted Union Cabinet Minister-equivalent status in the ceremonial Table of Precedence to India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, underlining the importance New Delhi places on its diplomatic relationship with Dhaka.
According to an office memorandum issued by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, the status was conferred as a personal distinction for ceremonial functions without amending the existing Table of Precedence.
India also resumed issuing tourist visas to Bangladeshi citizens in June after a suspension of nearly two years following the July 2024 demonstrations.
The announcement was made by High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi during a visit to the Indian Visa Application Centre at Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka.
“I am very happy to be able to announce the launch of general travel visas again. Visa applications can be submitted starting June 28. Urgent medical visas will continue to be provided for humanitarian reasons,” he said, according to The Daily Star.
The latest invitation is expected to add further momentum to diplomatic engagement between the two neighbours as India prepares to host leaders and invited guests for the BRICS Summit in September.
