Daily Times

Last December, India took over the G20 presidency for 2023. The country went on to invite Bangladesh along with Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the G20 summit on 9-10 September. But Bangladesh’s invitation holds special importance as this is the first time the country got invited to the summit and it is also the only South Asian country to be invited to the summit this year. India has also stated that it expects Bangladesh’s “active participation” in the G20 meetings to promote the issues of mutual interest in the global arena.

India announced its goal during its G20 Presidency as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth – One Family – One Future). On the surface this seems like an agenda based on global inclusivity but behind this is India’s far fetching ambitions of solidifying its influence as a global leader of the South one of the rising powers in the world. The Modi government has obviously dreamt big and its invitation to Bangladesh clearly shows the country is a big part of that sail.

But where does Bangladesh fit in this scenario? This also raises questions of why now only is the country invited to attend the g20 summit after 24 years of its establishment.

The answer lies in Bangladesh’s exponential economic growth over the decades and a global shift of geopolitics to the Indo-Pacific region that has made the geo-strategic location of Bangladesh to be a golden goose.

Bangladesh is currently the 35th largest economy in 2022 with a GDP size of US$460.8 billion.

Bangladesh is currently the 35th largest economy in 2022 with a GDP size of US$460.8 billion. With a consistent GDP growth rate of 7% over the years, it’s projected to be the 23rd-largest economy by 2050. The economy boasts a mixture of agriculture, a vibrant export basket, and a strong supply of migrant manpower with 160 million people. The country has passed its regional neighbors including India on most of the socio-economic indexes and has actually been cited as a global model for developing countries. The country ranks 6th in the world in terms of economic growth rate passing country’s such as China, Vietnam and Egypt.

For India, from an economic perspective, Bangladesh is the regional hub that connects Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and China through both land and sea. So, the country intends to invest in Bangladesh to build a strong regional resilience that can also balance China’s increasing affinity in the region. India knows it has to remain a hegemon in its region if it wants to consolidate power on the global stage.

Bangladesh is one of the biggest contributors to India’s tourism and export industry. India now has energy goals aligned with Bangladesh as well. In March, the countries inaugurated a 130-plus km pipeline to carry diesel fuel from a hub in Siliguri, in the state of West Bengal, to Parbatipur in northern Bangladesh, backed by Indian funds.

Dhaka has also been influential in controlling the insurgency in India’s North East regions. The country is being considered a commercial access point to the region, discussed in a connectivity meeting between Japan, Bangladesh, and India last April.

It’s not only understandable but also the smarter decision for India to call upon Bangladesh to the summit. Bangladesh stands as its only neighbor capable of complementing India in its global ambitions. The country being the centerpiece of India’s ‘good neighborhood policy’ makes it clear that New Delhi is well aware of Bangladesh’s growing geopolitical significance.

Where India sees Bangladesh as both a strategic and economic investment, other major powers have their own goals to be delivered by Dhaka.

China wants Dhaka to be a part of its expansionist string of pearls which has resulted in Bangladesh being a part of its Belt and Road Initiative. China’s non-interference policy and Bangladesh’s non-alignment policy have rather smoothed out the road to their relationship.

Beijing’s massive investment in Bangladesh, duty-free access, growing trade, and the political collaboration through the Rohingya issue are a reflection of its overarching policies towards rim states. Having countries like Bangladesh can help China to both create influence in the Indian Ocean and create alternate routes to the Strait of Malacca which is a point of contention among the major powers currently.

US policies towards Bangladesh also show the keenness of China but it’s conflicted by Washington’s ever-consistent need to interfere in internal matters of others. On one hand, the US wants Bangladesh to join QUAD to restrain China’s growing allies in the Indo-Pacific, on the other hand, it goes to target Dhaka on violations of democracy charges.

Along with the strategic interest, the US also has a big market in Bangladesh’s 160 million people, with connections to the broader South Asian market, but growing frustrations among the countries are pushing Bangladesh more towards China and India. Yet that doesn’t mean Bangladesh has chosen sides as the country continues to maintain its relations with the major powers Russia and US-amidst their tug of war over Ukraine.

There’s enough reason for G20 to pine over Bangladesh’s presence. As former colonies are rising as alternates to liberal empires, Bangladesh like the rest of the global south finally has an opportunity to be players instead of pawns in the game. Dhaka must continue what it has started- build strong infrastructures, alleviate the poverty trap, and cautiously steer through the multilateral platforms like G20 to keep its tally of allies on the positive. The understanding of how to adapt to the global shift is how Bangladesh has today placed itself in the power politics of the world.

The writer is a student.