India has a coastline of 6,500 km on the Bay of Bengal

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar indirectly rebukes Mohammad Yunus over his statement

New Delhi – India is fully aware of its commitment towards BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation). After all, India also has the longest coastline on the Bay of Bengal, extending to approximately 6,500 km, stated External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, indirectly criticizing Mohammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to the interim Government of Bangladesh. Dr Jaishankar was addressing the 6^thBIMSTEC Summit held in Thailand.

A few days ago, Mohammad Yunus had made a statement during his China visit that Northeast India is landlocked and can only access the sea via Bangladesh. Responding to this, Dr Jaishankar highlighted India’s extensive coastline through his remarks. The summit was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nepal’s Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli, Bangladesh’s Mohammad Yunus and others. Yunus had requested a separate meeting with Prime Minister Modi; however, India has not yet granted approval for the meeting.

External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar further stated :

1. We have the longest coastline on the Bay of Bengal; approximately 6,500 km. Our North-eastern region, with a dense network of roads, railways, waterways, power grids, and pipelines, is emerging as a hub of connectivity for BIMSTEC.

2. Completion of the trilateral highway will link Northeast India to the Pacific Ocean, which marks a significant milestone.

3. We understand that facilitation and cooperation are essential conditions for the seamless flow of goods, services, and people across this vast geography. Keeping these geostrategic factors in mind, we have been working over the past decade to strengthen BIMSTEC.

4. India firmly believes that cooperation is an integrated approach and not a matter of choosing one over the other.