The newly elected prime minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, concluded his much-awaited first foreign tour since he entered office in February 2026. His two-nation tour, first to Malaysia and then China, is seen as a major overhaul of Bangladesh’s foreign and security policy roadmap. It reflects a shift in Dhaka’s regional engagements away from India. Rahman could have made it just a trip to China, but he made Kuala Lumpur, not Beijing, his first stop. Many would say it was simply to avoid headlines in Delhi.
But why avoid Delhi and break with traditional diplomatic practice, especially when Rahman had been pushing to restore ties with India, which were strained in the wake of the ‘July Movement’ in 2024 that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina? Was it the reported delay in India’s issuance of visas to Bangladeshis or the question of Hasina’s extradition? Is Rahman catering to domestic political sentiment by signalling intent toward India but making the final move toward China? While the answer could be all of the above, it would be a mistake to assume that India did not anticipate such a move.Away from the political messaging in Bangladesh’s new foreign policy, Rahman’s visit to China must be analysed to understand why it matters.
