According to Media reports: Four weeks have passed since Sheikh Hasina, the ousted Prime Minister of Bangladesh, fled her homeland in a dramatic escape by helicopter, seeking sanctuary in India. Her abrupt departure, precipitated by a massive student-led uprising, has now spiraled into a significant diplomatic conundrum for New Delhi, forcing the regional giant to navigate a delicate balancing act amidst shifting power dynamics in South Asia.
Hasina’s once unchallenged reign, marked by an iron-fisted grip over Bangladesh for nearly 15 years, was brought to an abrupt end last month. Dhaka’s streets teemed with enraged protesters marching towards her palace, a culmination of years of pent-up frustration over alleged human rights abuses, suppression of political dissent, and a relentless crackdown on opposition voices. Now, as voices from within Bangladesh grow louder, demanding her extradition to face justice for the killing of protesters during the revolt, India’s steadfast refusal to comply is drawing intense scrutiny.
India, Hasina’s largest benefactor before her dramatic ouster, now finds itself in a precarious position. Sending the embattled 76-year-old leader back to face trial would not only strain its already frayed ties with Dhaka’s caretaker administration but could also send ripples across the region, threatening its broader strategic interests. “India is clearly not going to want to extradite her back to Bangladesh,” said Thomas Kean of the International Crisis Group, a prominent conflict resolution think tank. “The message that would send to other leaders in the region who are close to New Delhi would not be a very positive one… that ultimately, India will not protect you,” he told AFP.
India’s reluctance to surrender Hasina underscores the stakes involved in South Asia’s simmering geopolitical chess game. Last year, New Delhi watched as its preferred candidate in the Maldives’ presidential election was defeated by a rival who swiftly pivoted the strategically significant island nation closer to China. Now, with Hasina’s dramatic downfall, India has lost perhaps its most reliable ally in the region, leaving it scrambling to retain its influence amidst an ever-growing Chinese presence.
Moreover, the anger of those who suffered under Hasina’s controversial rule has now turned towards India, with rising animosity directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government. This hostility has been further inflamed by what many perceive as India’s continued support for a leader who presided over years of oppression. The simmering tensions have become evident in the sharp exchanges between Indian officials and Bangladesh’s interim leaders, casting a shadow over a relationship that was once touted as a regional cornerstone.
Caught between protecting a former ally and preserving its regional influence, India now faces a diplomatic tightrope. As the world’s largest democracy seeks to balance its internal political compulsions with external strategic considerations, its handling of the Hasina affair will likely shape its future in the geopolitically volatile region of South Asia.
