India-Bangladesh Ties In Focus As Tarique Rahman Gets Invitation To BRICS Outreach Meet

India has invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the outreach session of the upcoming BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi, recognising his country’s role as the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

The annual BRICS Summit will be hosted by India on September 12 and 13 in New Delhi, where leaders are expected to discuss major global challenges, including economic disruptions caused by the ongoing West Asia crisis and other international issues.

The External Affairs Ministry confirmed that the invitation to Rahman was extended under the established practice followed by BRICS, where leaders of important regional groupings are invited to outreach sessions.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the invitation was issued separately to Rahman in his capacity as the BIMSTEC chair. He added that India has followed the same approach with other heads of regional organisations during BRICS outreach meetings.

“Other heads of regional groups have also been invited in a similar manner,” Jaiswal said while addressing a media briefing.

The invitation comes at a time when India-Bangladesh relations have witnessed some fresh challenges following former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s plan to hold a virtual media interaction from New Delhi. Clarifying India’s position, Jaiswal said New Delhi has no involvement in the event and does not endorse any views that may be expressed during the interaction.

He also noted that India had earlier invited Tarique Rahman for a bilateral visit after he assumed office as Bangladesh’s prime minister in February.

India, which currently holds the chair of BRICS, is preparing to host one of the most significant gatherings of emerging economies. Leaders expected at the summit include Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

BRICS, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in recent years with the inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia. The grouping now represents a major share of the world’s population, economy, and trade.

The outreach session will also include leaders from several non-BRICS countries, reflecting the bloc’s growing focus on expanding cooperation with regional partners.