India’s strategic interests in South Asia have always been intricately linked with its relationship with Bangladesh. Over the past 15 years, the India-Bangladesh partnership flourished under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership. However, recent political shifts in Bangladesh have created new challenges for India, exposing vulnerabilities in its foreign policy approach and necessitating a recalibration of its strategy. The fall of the Hasina government and the unexpected rise of a student-led protest movement that ousted her have taken India by surprise.

India’s inability to gauge the depth of public dissatisfaction with Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian governance, economic struggles, and perceived proximity to India highlights a crucial misstep in its diplomatic outreach. The simmering resentment among the Bangladeshi populace was inflamed by statements from Indian political and military leaders that were seen as derogatory by many in Bangladesh, exacerbating anti-India sentiments. As Bangladesh........

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