Bangladesh-India relations are perhaps the most complex bilateral relations in the subcontinent. Despite its role in Bangladesh's independence in 1971, India is often perceived as serving its own self-interests against Pakistan. With the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1972, the two countries attempted to improve their relations to no avail. As a result, decades-old issues concerning land, water, illegal migration, and border security still remain, as does Bangladesh's seeking of favorable access to Indian markets, particularly for its widely exported garment products. On August 1, 2015, despite its peripheral status in bilateral negotiations, India and Bangladesh formally exchanged 162 enclaves strewn along shared borders--low-cost concessions for both, yet a possible template for successful future relations. Bangladesh and India share a common border of 4096 km running through five states, namely, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. Managing such a diverse border is a complex task but vital from the point of view of national security. There are 162 enclaves between Bangladesh and India. The enclaves provide an important site for scrutinizing the connections between bordering practices and sovereignty claims. Uncertain borders not only raise bilateral tensions but also facilitate cross-border infiltration, illegal migration, smuggling and crime. Illegal migration has emerged as one of the major national security challenges. The India-Bangladesh border has been described as the 'problem area of tomorrow'. The problems include illegal migration, smuggling, and trans-border movement of insurgents, which are serious threats to the security of the country. This book will be invaluable for students and scholars of history, politics and international relations. The book should be also be of interest to the policy makers and other stakeholders who wish to develop insight into intricate areas of discord between Bangladesh and India and the possible resolutions suggested by the young minds.

The reality of India-Bangladesh relations as it stands today is far removed from the idealism in bilateral relations which has been cherished since the Liberation War, especially in India. This book examines the irritants between the two countries and suggests a road map for improving relations. The book covers the geography and history of Bangladesh as a backdrop. Thereafter, the strategic importance of Bangladesh to India, security perceptions of Bangladesh and a few economic aspects have been covered. A chronological review of Bangladesh’s foreign policy towards India and her relations with other countries has been carried out in a separate chapter. This is followed by a detailed examination of the irritants between the two countries. The views of a large cross-section of eminent personalities of both the countries have been included to substantiate the existing relations. In the Final Chapter, ‘The Way Ahead’, the author has suggested an action plan for the future.

This stimulating book examines the key issues - including border management, water cooperation, and connectivity - challenges and possibilities in Bangladesh-India relations in the last fifty years. The book also investigates the role of the 'China factor', the role of civil society in Bangladesh-India relations and maps out the future course of actions in Bangladesh-India partnership in the post-pandemic world. The book contributes to both from theoretical and policy perspective and therefore will be immensely useful to the students of International Relations, Political Science, to academics, researchers, and policymakers with interest on Bangladesh-India relations, Bangladesh foreign policy, India's foreign policy in particular, and South Asia in general.

This book provides a broad, analytical study of Bangladesh's relationship with India and Pakistan between 1975 and 1990. Bangladesh's role in South Asian international relations has tended to be overlooked and underestimated. The book reveals the complexity of the relationship between Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

The importance of a thorough analysis of the current state of India-Bangladesh relations can hardly be exaggerated. Sceptics may observe that India can afford to remain indifferent to relationships with Bangladesh, whereas Bangladesh cannot do so vis-à-vis India. But realities do not admit of such skeptic oversimplification. With India s northeast region remaining chronically unstable, and with count ries across this region, e.g. China and Myanmar, trying to improve their relations with Bangladesh (which itself provides a commercial gateway to India s northeast region), India has to upgrade substantially its relations with Bangladesh in order to safeguard some of its vital interests. The necessity to strengthen the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) provides an additional impetus to the urgency of such upgradation. The disparity in the size and resources of India and Bangladesh are but a misleading indicator of the present importance of India-Bangladesh relations.

This handbook offers a comprehensive overview of South Asian foreign policy, examining the complex history and present state of South Asian foreign policy, the foreign policy of the countries of the region, as well as their relationships with their neighbors and key external players, such as China and the United States, in an effort to understand South Asia’s place in the world order. It illustrates the future trajectory of foreign policy in the region and analyses future of regional arrangements like SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and BIMSTEC. The handbook is structured in five parts, each representing a focused area of enquiry: Foreign Policy Relations within South Asia Relations within Indo-Pacific Relations with China, Europe and the United States Security A carefully selected collection of 26 chapters written by experts on South Asian foreign, economic, and security policy, this handbook provides an objective yet accessible overview of the history and current state of foreign policy of each country and the region. It is an authoritative reference work for academics and students as well as international think tanks, research institutes, and non-governmental organizations working on South Asian Politics, Asian Politics, Foreign Politics, International Affairs, World History, and International Relations.