Quick reads
- Bangladesh NSA Khalilur Rahman met India’s NSA Ajit Doval in New Delhi on 19 November 2025 and formally invited him to visit Dhaka.
- The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 7th Meeting of NSAs of the Colombo Security Conclave, hosted in New Delhi on November 20.
- Officials described the talks as covering bilateral security issues and regional cooperation, amid a backdrop of strained diplomatic ties.
- Both sides framed the contact as part of routine NSA-level diplomacy ahead of the CSC discussions.
A cautious outreach amid cooler relations
Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman travelled to New Delhi to attend the Colombo Security Conclave meeting and held a bilateral session with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on November 19, 2025. During the meeting, Rahman extended a formal invitation for Doval to visit Dhaka — an outreach that signals a willingness to keep government-to-government security channels open even as broader bilateral relations face tensions.
Indian government briefings confirm the meeting occurred on the margins of the 7th NSA-level CSC session, where NSAs from member states gathered to discuss regional security and maritime cooperation. Officials said the talks covered routine bilateral security matters and preparations for the conclave’s agenda. Both sides described the interaction as consistent with ongoing regional dialogue.
Observers note the invitation comes at a sensitive moment in ties between the two neighbours; media reports and officials say both sides are balancing contention on certain political issues with pragmatic engagement on security and regional cooperation. The invitation to Dhaka, if taken up, would give New Delhi and Dhaka an opportunity to address outstanding concerns through direct, senior-level talks.
