New delhi: India has confirmed an invitation has been extended to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of Bangladesh to attend the upcoming BRICS Summit as the Chair of BIMSTEC, alongside a separate bilateral invitation issued earlier this year in February.
According to United News of Bangladesh, India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, focusing on critical issues such as global cooperation, trade, and sustainable development. During a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted that a formal invitation had been extended to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman when he took office in February 2026. Additionally, India has invited the Prime Minister to the outreach session of the BRICS Summit in his capacity as the BIMSTEC Chair.
“The invitation has been extended as per the standard practice being followed in BRICS for the outreach sessions. Other heads of regional groups have also been invited in a similar manner,” stated the MEA spokesperson. BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, consists of seven member countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Last April, Bangladesh assumed the chairmanship of BIMSTEC for a two-year term, reaffirming its commitment to enhancing regional cooperation and development. A senior official informed UNB that Bangladesh is currently reviewing the invitation and will make a decision soon. Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur mentioned, “We will take a decision and inform you immediately,” when asked about Bangladesh’s response to the invitation.
Under India’s chairship, BRICS is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” as articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2025 Rio Summit. The 17th BRICS Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July 2025, operated under the theme “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.”
BRICS includes member countries Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE, with partner countries such as Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
In a separate matter, when questioned about former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s scheduled media engagement in New Delhi on August 5, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified India’s non-involvement in the event, stating it was organized by a private media entity without governmental endorsement.
Ahead of this engagement, Bangladesh conveyed to India the expectation that New Delhi would prevent any individuals, including fugitive Sheikh Hasina, from using Indian territory to make political statements that might destabilize Bangladesh. The message was relayed by Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir during a meeting with the newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi.
Indian media reports suggest that Hasina is set to make a public appearance in India two years after leaving Bangladesh following a significant student-led protest. She is expected to participate in a virtual event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in New Delhi.