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India has warned that it will take “all necessary actions” to protect its national interests amid reports that Bangladesh is reviewing 101 bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed with India during the previous Awami League government.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks at a media briefing in New Delhi on Friday.
“We have also seen some media reports on this matter, but nothing has been conveyed to us officially.
Obviously, India will take all necessary actions to protect its interests,” Jaiswal said.
The warning came days after Bangladesh Parliament Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said the government was reviewing 101 agreements signed with India under the previous Awami League administration.
He said the review would assess whether the arrangements adequately served Bangladesh’s national interests.
Moni said Bangladesh wanted to maintain friendly relations with India but would give priority to its own national interests.
He cited arrangements involving the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports and a road project financed through an Indian loan as examples of agreements that were being scrutinised.
The review does not mean that all 101 agreements will be cancelled.
Bangladeshi officials have indicated that the agreements are being examined individually, with possible changes depending on their terms and implications for the country.
The agreements cover a range of areas, including connectivity, trade, infrastructure, energy and development cooperation.
India has also provided more than $7 billion in Lines of Credit for infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, including road, rail and port connectivity.
The two countries are also continuing discussions through existing bilateral mechanisms on water-sharing issues.
The 1996 Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty is due to expire in December 2026, and India has said technical-level discussions through the Joint Rivers Commission will continue.
The review comes amid broader efforts by Dhaka to reassess its relationship with New Delhi and examine agreements concluded under the previous government.
Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir has said the agreements are being scrutinised through the parliamentary process and that bilateral issues should be addressed through direct talks.
For now, neither side has announced any formal cancellation of the 101 agreements. India’s latest statement indicates that New Delhi is monitoring the review closely and will respond if its interests are affected.
