It is now certain that the proposed visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Delhi for a one-on-one meeting with Narendra Modi is off the table, in spite of the best of intentions and hectic backroom parleys on both sides. Ironically, a section within India’s foreign service ecosystem — comprising serving and retired foreign service officers — is celebrating this as a victory rather than a setback.

An email to the media by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday (21 August 21, 2026) gave the impression that the long-under-discussion visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was imminent. The email stated, “The Change of Guard Ceremony at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan will not take place this Saturday (22 August 2026) due to the full rehearsal for the ceremonial welcome of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh”. The email was issued by Navika Gupta, Deputy Press Secretary to the President of India. The email was, however, withdrawn within hours. Such a diplomatic faux pas had apparently happened for the very first time.

Gossip in New Delhi that a section of the Indian foreign policy establishment, including retired diplomats, are actually gloating gained support from a post by Suhasini Haidar, the Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu.

Also Read: Tarique Rahman’s test at the edge of the Ganga

“The withdrawn email from Rashtrapati Bhavan indicates not only the tensions in India-Bangladesh ties at present, but tensions within the foreign policy establishments in Delhi and Dhaka,” she posted on X early on Saturday morning. There is also renewed speculation that diplomats are gloating........

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