External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with various foreign ministers, including Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain, during the Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat, Oman, on February 16-17. Their discussions focused on bilateral relations and regional cooperation through BIMSTEC.

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• Jaishankar met Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain in Muscat.
• Conversation focused on strengthening India-Bangladesh ties and BIMSTEC cooperation.
• EAM also held talks with Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius foreign ministers.
• The 8th Indian Ocean Conference was organized by India Foundation and Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• The theme of the conference was ‘Voyages to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership.’
• Jaishankar and Hossain had previously met during the UN General Assembly in September.
• Discussions continued after Bangladesh’s political turmoil post-Sheikh Hasina’s ouster.
• India advocates normalization of relations despite Bangladesh’s interim government’s controversial actions.
• India’s Foreign Secretary had expressed concerns about the safety of minorities in Bangladesh in December.
• The BIMSTEC Summit is scheduled for April 2025 in Bangkok, where Bangladesh will assume the chairmanship.