BIMSTEC Summit: Jaishankar hits back at Muhammad Yunus on North-East, says...

In what may be interpreted as a fitting reply to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that New Delhi has the longest coastline in the Bay of Bengal.

The chief adviser to the interim government stirred controversy in China last week when he said that the seven north-eastern states of India are landlocked and Bangladesh was the "only guardian of the ocean" for the region.

Jaishankar: India has longest coastline in Bay of Bengal

Addressing the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand, Jaishankar said Thursday, "India is aware of its special responsibility in regard to BIMSTEC. We, after all, have the longest coastline in the Bay of Bengal, of almost 6,500 km." 

He said further, "India shares borders not only with five BIMSTEC members, connects most of them, but also provides much of the interface between the Indian Sub-continent and ASEAN."

'Trilateral Highway to connect North- East to Pacific Ocean'

Talking about the north-east, the Foreign Minister said, "Our North-Eastern region in particular is emerging as a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC, with a myriad network of roads, railways, waterways, grids and pipelines."

He added, "Furthermore, the completion of the Trilateral Highway will connect India’s North East to the Pacific Ocean, a veritable game-changer." 

Jaishankar did not stop at this. Taking to social media platform X, he wrote in a post, "Nations around and proximate to the Bay of Bengal have both common interests and shared concerns."

He also wrote, "Our North-Eastern region in particular is emerging as a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC. The IMT Trilateral Highway will connect India’s North East to the Pacific Ocean."

Without naming Bangladesh and China, he said, "The era when a few powers underwrote the international system is now behind us. What we make of our prospects is very much dependent on ourselves. As developing nations who face a multitude of challenges, that is better done in concert with each other than individually." 

Jaishankar said that BIMSTEC countries need more cooperation among themselves to advance growth. He said, "The results are there for all of us to see even today. Whether it is connectivity, trade, investment or services between the BIMSTEC members, we are performing below our real potential." 

(With inputs from ANI)