On Friday, India responded to the omission of Bangladesh in a US readout of a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden. The US summary, released on August 26, did not mention the situation in Bangladesh, prompting a reaction from the Indian external affairs ministry.
India’s statement clarified that the two leaders had indeed discussed the situation in Bangladesh at length. The external affairs ministry emphasized that both Modi and Biden shared concerns about the situation and stressed the importance of restoring law and order, as well as ensuring the security of minorities, particularly Hindus.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed media queries about the omission, asserting that claims of Bangladesh not being part of the conversation were “uninformed, tendentious, and motivated.” He explained that press releases following such high-level calls are not comprehensive joint statements but rather summaries that may highlight different aspects of the discussion.
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Jaiswal pointed out that the absence of a particular issue in one country’s press release does not imply it was not addressed during the conversation. He affirmed that the Indian press release accurately reflected the dialogue between Modi and Biden.
The Indian government has been vocal about the need to protect Bangladesh’s minorities, particularly following the recent ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, after extensive student-led protests. Bangladesh’s interim government has assured its commitment to safeguarding all citizens’ rights and described Indian media reports on attacks against Hindus as “exaggerated.”
