India-Bangladesh Relations Under Scrutiny Amidst Tariff Tension with the US

On August 4, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, held its final meeting concerning India-Bangladesh relations. This session followed multiple meetings focused on the bilateral ties between the two nations, culminating with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressing all the members' questions.

Chairperson Tharoor disclosed that the committee will draft a comprehensive report, which is set to be presented in Parliament. "Our next step involves writing and adopting the report before presenting it to Parliament," Tharoor stated, withholding further details until the report's presentment.

The recent meeting provided insights from Ministry of External Affairs officials, reviewing the draft report on action taken concerning the Ministry's demands for grants for the fiscal year 2024-25. This marked the concluding stage in a series of discussions aimed at shaping future India-Bangladesh relations.

The committee had previously convened on June 27, engaging first-class experts on the future relationship between India and Bangladesh. Notable insights included a reduction in Bangladeshi migration to India, an issue excluded from the latest detailed discussions. Tharoor assured a forthcoming report within weeks.

Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor addressed the imminent discussion on the 25% tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, an issue slated for further evaluation on August 11. Trump's recent proclamation on Truth Social highlighted a new 25% tariff on Indian imports, citing trade imbalances and India's energy ties with Russia as reasons.

(With inputs from agencies.)