Wednesday
February 19, 2025

Bangladesh’s growing Military aggressiveness towards India

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By: Megha Mittal, Research Analyst, GSDN

Indian Army and Bangladesh Army logos: source Internet

The relationship between Bangladesh and India was based on mutual cooperation that has taken an alarming turn in recent times towards military aggression. With the political transition in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, this transition has taken the two countries on a slippery slope. The departure of Sheikh Hasina and the rise of an interim government under Professor Muhammad Yunus have not only altered the political landscape but have also sparked a series of military confrontations and heightened border tensions, which has left a very significant departure from the traditionally amicable ties between the two neighbors.

At the heart of this new direction lies a growing sense of military assertiveness in Bangladesh’s foreign policy, which is apparently fueled by several factors. The internal political shift, along with a desire to reaffirm sovereignty and reassert Bangladesh’s strategic autonomy, has led to an increasingly confrontational stance toward India. Bangladesh has increased its aggression in the military approach regarding border killings, territorial conflicts, and even the suspicion of Indian interference in their domestic affairs. It signaled a shift from diplomatic engagement to military posturing.

Problems such as the unwritten agreement on Teesta water, the safety of minorities and frequent border clash have contributed to the build-up in tension between two nations. With the caretaker government still in power these unresolved problems have taken the shape of a new surge. It now focuses more upon military preparedness and deterrence to solve the disputed issues than through diplomacy. This aggressive shift in policy is actually a response to what seems to be India’s assertion of Bangladesh’s sovereignty especially in light of growing dissent at home against India influence during Hasina’s rule.

Additionally, rising military assertiveness has been accompanied by increased nationalist rhetoric and a greater focus on territorial integrity for Bangladesh. Military forces have remained on high alert, responded with force to border incidents, and increasing rhetoric has led to a call for revisiting the security dynamics of the region. The renewed focus on military capability and defense preparedness in Bangladesh underscores the desire to challenge India’s strategic dominance and project power in the region.

Historical Relations between Bangladesh and India

Bangladesh and India have a history of cooperation, especially since the 1971 Liberation War, when India helped Bangladesh gain independence. Over the years, the relationship has been characterized by strategic cooperation in areas such as trade, security, and cultural ties. India and Bangladesh also collaborated on shared issues like water resources, particularly the regulation of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers.

However, these unresolved issues of border management, Teesta water-sharing agreement, and border killings created some tensions. Sheikh Hasina’s leadership had continued a good relationship with India; however, the opposition in Bangladesh viewed Indian influence as detrimental to sovereignty.

The political transition in Bangladesh in 2024, with the rise of an interim government, has changed the dynamics. Growing military assertiveness and a desire to reclaim autonomy have replaced the earlier era of strategic alignment and have led to a more confrontational approach, especially on border issues and alleged Indian interference in domestic politics.

Recent Military Developments and Escalations

Bangladesh has recently fielded Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2s along the border with India, sparking strategic concerns for New Delhi. The Bayraktar TB2, made famous by a 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, is a medium-altitude long-endurance drone used specifically for surveillance and precision strike. Capable of flying well over 24 hours at a time and carrying targets up to 300 kilometers out, Bayraktars are loaded with laser-guided missiles, allowing these drones to target ground forces and infrastructure.

Deployment of such highly advanced drones along the India-Bangladesh border is perceived as an important development in the region’s military dynamics. Increased defense cooperation with Turkey, especially at this time, when the defense systems have been strategically located, appears to be Bangladesh’s desperate attempt to shore up its military capacities amid heightened tensions in the region. The border between India and Bangladesh, which stretches across diverse terrains of mountains, rivers, and dense forests, is challenging for traditional military surveillance, making drones an effective tool in such a setting.

While Bangladesh claims the drones are for defensive purposes, their strategic importance, especially in a sensitive border area cannot be ignored by India. Advanced UAV technology can change the military balance, especially in areas with limited physical surveillance capabilities. This move is another addition to the increasing military capability in the region, with Pakistan also having acquired Bayraktar TB2 drones. India now faces heightened challenges in terms of drone warfare, further complicating the security environment along its eastern border and intensifying the arms race in South Asia.

India’s Strategic Military Response

India has intensified security measures along the India-Bangladesh border, particularly in the strategic West Bengal region, after Bangladesh recently deployed Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones as part of a major build-up. Following reports that Bangladesh had placed the advanced UAVs for intelligence-gathering and potential strike missions, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, deployed its own array of UAVs to assert control over the area.

The Indian forces have introduced a batch of domestically developed UAVs, including Heron TP, along with other models for surveillance. These will aim to nullify Bayraktar TB2’s intelligence-gathering potential and improve India’s mechanism of border surveillance. Deployment of such UAVs will clearly indicate that the Indians mean business regarding the security of airspace over Indian Territory and will prevent unauthorized encroachments into Indian airspace, especially around the vulnerable “chicken neck” corridor through which Northeast India connects with the rest of India.

Bangladesh claims that the drones are for defensive and surveillance purposes, while the strategic implications of their proximity to India’s border have alarmed the nation. The Bayraktar TB2, with its advanced surveillance and precision strike capabilities, has raised alarm over the potential use of these drones for more aggressive operations, especially given the recent escalation in political instability within Bangladesh. The country’s internal unrest, along with growing ties between Bangladesh and other geopolitical actors like China and Pakistan, has further complicated the situation.

India’s response is the deployment of UAVs, such as the Heron TP, in defense of its territorial integrity. These drones can carry out long-duration surveillance and are part of a larger strategy by India to dominate the airspace near the Bangladesh border, countering any perceived threats from Bangladesh’s military maneuvers.

Regional Stability and Future Relations Implications

Bangladesh has just deployed Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones along its border with India, which in turn prompted India to intensify UAV surveillance along that frontier. The consequences for the stability of the region will be profound. This new move by Bangladesh, purporting to use high-end UAVs strictly for defensive purposes, signals a significant change in the security balance in South Asia. The Bayraktar TB2 drones, renowned for reconnaissance capabilities and precision strikes, might heighten tensions in that region, especially in a place like West Bengal due to the strategic importance around the sensitive “chicken neck” corridor.

India’s response, deploying its own Heron TP UAVs and increasing border surveillance, is a reflection of the growing militarization of the region and the dependence on advanced technology in the defense strategy. This high-tech arms race may create a higher risk of unwanted confrontations or miscalculations along the border.

The Bangladesh-China-Pakistan growing ties, such as with the acquisition of modernized military technology, might therefore change the regional power structure and make it increasingly hostile to India. Because of Bangladesh’s leaning towards China and Pakistan, the dynamics of these developments can become a shift towards an antithesis security alignment with which India cannot be expected to coexist peacefully. The dual deployment of UAVs by both nations underlines the increasing militarization of the South Asian region, and it may lead to increased instability and make diplomacy a more difficult task.

Conclusion

The recent escalation in military tensions between Bangladesh and India, with the former deploying Bayraktar TB2 drones and the latter countering, marked a new and worrying phase of their bilateral relations. That shift, fueled by Bangladesh’s desire to assert sovereignty and India’s response to perceived security threats, marked a departure from cooperation that once defined their relationship. The introduction of advanced unmanned aerial technologies into the region presents novel complexities, militarily and diplomatically, thereby ratcheting up the stakes for regional stability.

This changing security scenario reflects a larger trend in South Asia, in which the focus of military preparedness and sophistication could easily outstrip even the best diplomatic channels. That both claim their actions defensive in nature notwithstanding, the presence of those advanced weapon systems, accompanied by a growing militarization in the region, increases chances of a possible accidental confrontations or miscalculations. The dynamics of these tensions are further complicated by Bangladesh’s shifting foreign policy, especially its growing alignment with China and Pakistan, which could further isolate India and alter regional power balances.

In light of these developments, a protracted and dangerous standoff appears likely unless both countries put more emphasis on diplomatic dialogue. South Asia’s security architecture may depend on whether India and Bangladesh can de-escalate their military posturing and return to a path of negotiation addressing long-standing disputes while navigating geopolitical pressures that influence both nations. The path ahead will demand careful calibration of military and diplomatic strategies to ensure that stability in the region is achieved and the broader consequences of this rivalry do not destabilize South Asia further.

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new zealand national cricket team
new zealand national cricket team
20 days ago

Your writing always leaves me feeling uplifted and empowered. Thank you for being such a positive influence.

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