Dhaka (TDI): Bangladesh has signaled that it is open to joining a new regional bloc with Pakistan and China, one that notably excludes India.
The possibility emerged after Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, said that a recent trilateral initiative involving Islamabad, Beijing and Dhaka could eventually expand to include more countries.
In June, diplomats from China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh held trilateral discussions centered on regional stability, economic cooperation, and improving the well-being of their populations, a collaboration they emphasized was not aimed at any other country.
Dar’s latest comments also come at a time of rising regional friction. Pakistan’s longstanding rivalry with India recently escalated into a brief four-day air conflict in May, worsening tensions between the two nuclear neighbors.
At the same time, Bangladesh–India relations have sharply soured following the removal of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year.
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Hasina sought refuge in India after being ousted in a mass uprising, and New Delhi has declined to return her to Dhaka, where she was later convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by a tribunal in November.
If Bangladesh formally agrees to join such a bloc, it will mark a significant shift in South Asia’s geopolitical dynamics.
The traditional regional grouping, SAARC, which includes India, has remained largely inactive for years due to ongoing tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.
A new framework that leaves India out could offer countries an alternative platform to pursue economic cooperation without being pulled into long-standing regional rivalries.
Responding to the discussions, Bangladesh’s foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain said he had only seen such reports in the media, noting that Dar’s comments may indicate potential progress at some point. However, he offered no further details.
Read More: Top Military Officials of Pakistan, Bangladesh Meet in Dhaka
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Wednesday that Bangladesh could strategically join a regional bloc that includes Pakistan but excludes India.
However, he pointed out that such an arrangement would not be practical for Nepal or Bhutan due to their geographical and political realities.
“It is strategically possible for us,” Touhid said. “But Nepal or Bhutan cannot form a grouping with Pakistan without India.”
Meanwhile, in his remarks at the Islamabad Conclave, Ishaq Dar reiterated that Pakistan rejects “zero-sum approaches” and supports cooperation over confrontation.
He stressed that the proposed trilateral arrangement could be expanded to bring more regional partners on board.
Minahil Khurshid holds a Master's in Peace and Conflict Studies from NUST. She is passionate about current affairs, public policy, and geopolitics.
