The political upheaval in Bangladesh and the sweeping changes under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus have become a matter of serious concern for India.

While radical elements in Bangladesh, influenced by Pakistan and China, are fanning an anti-India agenda, India’s liberal policies are increasingly under scrutiny. This imbalance poses a threat not only to bilateral relations but also to India's national security. Policymakers must remember, “He who shows mercy to the enemy betrays his own people,” said Chanakya once.

Since Sheikh Hasina’s flight from Dhaka in August last year, anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh have reached new heights. The interim government has scrapped a $21 million defence deal with Indian shipyards and imposed trade restrictions. In response, India halted $770 million worth of Bangladeshi textile exports. These actions have hurt economic ties and escalated bitterness between the two nations.

Radicals in Bangladesh continue to portray India as a ‘bullying neighbour’, conveniently forgetting that India freed them from Pakistan’s clutches in the 1971 war. Today, attacks on Hindus, murders of minority leaders, and vandalism of temples are on the rise. The government appears either incapable or unwilling to act. Bangladesh’s power brokers must remember, those who fan the flames of hatred often end up consumed by them.

The growing radicalism in Bangladesh clearly shows the influence of Pakistan and China. In March this year, Yunus referred to Bangladesh as ‘the maritime sentinel of India’s Northeast’, revealing China's larger strategy. Pakistan, India’s perpetual adversary, is actively provoking radicals in Bangladesh.

The interim government’s decision to release extremists from prisons has triggered a surge in violence against minorities. Bangladesh now teeters on the path of becoming another Pakistan, a failing state with a collapsing economy, held hostage by fundamentalist forces. The goons surrounding the government forget, those who feed a snake milk rarely wonder when it will strike.

Bangladesh shares a 1,596 km border with India, which is critically important for national security. China’s growing influence in the strategically sensitive ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor could choke off India’s Northeast. Yet India seems unwilling to fully leverage its economic and military strengths.

Prof Paras Nath Chaudhary suggests that India should apply military pressure and push Bangladesh toward ‘Finlandization’, a state of enforced neutrality. While this may sound harsh, the present situation demands bold decisions. “If a lion turns vegetarian, the wolves will laugh.”

India’s soft policy is no longer just naïve; it’s becoming dangerous. Though radicals in Bangladesh may not be the majority, their influence is undeniably growing. India must realise that appeasing an adversary yields nothing. Now is the time for a firm and clear stance. To recognise the threat in time is wisdom—otherwise, history’s abyss awaits.

Is the Narendra Modi government prepared to meet this challenge? Or will it continue to stumble through a fog of illusions? Only time will tell…