Speaker, Foreign Secretary to represent India at Tarique Rahman's swearing-in ceremony

A high-level Indian delegation will represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of Tarique Rahman as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, scheduled for Tuesday, February 17, in Dhaka. 

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will attend on behalf of the Indian government, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement released on Sunday.

The MEA emphasised that the Speaker's participation underscores the deep and enduring friendship between India and the people of Bangladesh, highlighting the strong bonds that tie the two nations together. 

India's presence at the ceremony reaffirms its firm commitment to supporting democratic values in Bangladesh. 

The statement further noted that the two countries share a common history, culture, and mutual respect, and as a close neighbour, India welcomes the transition to an elected government under Tarique Rahman's leadership following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) decisive victory in the 13th parliamentary elections.

Diplomatic sources view this high-level representation as a clear signal of the priority India places on its relations with Bangladesh, conveying interest in engaging constructively with the new government amid this significant political shift.

Bangladesh's interim government chief adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, extended invitations to heads of government from 13 countries—including China, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives, and Bhutan—for the event, which will take place at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. 

The invitations followed consultations with the BNP's leadership after its landslide win in the 13th general elections.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received an invitation but will not attend due to a pre-scheduled bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on the same day, along with his role in hosting the upcoming India-AI Impact Summit in February, which will feature leaders from around 20 countries including Macron, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. 

Reports indicate that sending the Lok Sabha Speaker and Foreign Secretary reflects India's intent to maintain strong engagement and work toward rebuilding and strengthening bilateral ties over the long term.