India’s relations with Bangladesh

Of all India’s relations, that with Pakistan has been the most problematic and highly charged, over the longest period of time, a relationship accurately described by Inder Gujral as a ‘tormented’ one. 1 Such has been this ongoing, generally negative relationship that for each country the other now looms large as something of an existential bogeyman, the ‘Other’. Even as India looks beyond South Asia in its international rise, relations with Pakistan continue to remain embedded like a thorn in India’s foreign policy, both within its immediate neighbourhood, and also in India’s extended neighbourhood. An ‘unending’ tension and conflict has characterized their relationship as neighbouring independent states. 2