Strategic Statecraft: Why Bangladesh Should Join BRICS Summit in India

The debate over Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s participation in the forthcoming BRICS Summit in India reflects a broader discussion about Bangladesh’s foreign policy direction following the political transition of July 2024. Reports suggesting that the invitation was extended to him in his capacity as the current Chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), rather than explicitly as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, which have generated concerns regarding diplomatic symbolism and sovereign representation.
Such concerns are understandable within the context of evolving Bangladesh-India relations. Public debate in Bangladesh has intensified around unresolved bilateral issues, including water sharing, border management, trade barriers, visa restrictions and differing perceptions regarding India’s role in Bangladesh’s domestic political affairs. For the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government, which has historically emphasised sovereignty and an independent foreign policy, the challenge is balancing domestic expectations with the requirements of constructive regional engagement.
The central question, however, is not whether Bangladesh should align with or oppose India. The more important strategic question is how Bangladesh can preserve diplomatic flexibility while maximising national interests. From the perspective of international relations theory and diplomatic practice, avoiding the BRICS Summit because of protocol concerns would likely reduce rather than enhance Bangladesh’s strategic options. Sovereignty is not demonstrated through diplomatic withdrawal; it is demonstrated through the ability to engage, negotiate and influence outcomes.

BIMSTEC Leadership as 
a Strategic Opportunity
Bangladesh’s current chairmanship of BIMSTEC provides an important opportunity to strengthen its regional influence. Since the adoption of the BIMSTEC Charter and its subsequent institutional development, the organisation has gained greater coherence as a platform connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly amid the prolonged stagnation of SAARC.
BIMSTEC occupies an important geopolitical position in the Bay of Bengal region. Its areas of cooperation, including connectivity, trade facilitation, maritime security, energy cooperation, digital transformation, climate resilience, disaster management and the blue economy, directly correspond with Bangladesh’s economic and strategic priorities.
A Test of Pragmatic Leadership 
for the BNP Government
For the BNP government, participation in the BRICS Summit would serve as a test of pragmatic leadership by demonstrating a pragmatic and forward-looking foreign policy. As Dhaka seeks to strengthen international confidence, its foreign policy should be guided by long-term national interests rather than short-term political considerations. Effective statecraft requires balancing domestic expectations with the strategic use of international platforms to advance Bangladesh’s economic, security and geopolitical interests.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s participation would not require Bangladesh to overlook unresolved concerns with India; rather, it would provide an opportunity to articulate national priorities, strengthen diplomatic leverage, and pursue solutions through engagement. Ultimately, the BNP government’s strategic leadership will be judged not by diplomatic withdrawal, but by its ability to translate international engagement into tangible national gains while safeguarding Bangladesh’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
Strategic Statecraft Over 
Symbolic Diplomacy
Diplomatic protocol and sovereign recognition remain important in international relations. However, allowing procedural concerns to overshadow a significant diplomatic opportunity would not advance Bangladesh’s long-term national interests. International experience shows that states strengthen their influence through active engagement, institutional leadership, and effective negotiation rather than diplomatic absence.
As Chair of BIMSTEC, Bangladesh has an opportunity to enhance its regional profile, broaden strategic partnerships, and reinforce its foreign policy autonomy. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s participation in the BRICS Summit should therefore be viewed not as a concession to India, but as an expression of Bangladesh’s diplomatic confidence and commitment to advancing its national interests.
In an increasingly competitive international environment, influence belongs to states that engage, negotiate, and shape outcomes. For Bangladesh, the BRICS Summit is not merely a diplomatic gathering but a platform to demonstrate that strategic statecraft rests on confidence, pragmatism, and purposeful engagement, not symbolic diplomacy.
________________________________
The writer is a 2026 Legislative 
Policy Fellow of the US Congress