India Invites Bangladesh Prime Minister to 18th BRICS Summit

The Government of India has invited Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026. Although Bangladesh is not a member or observer of the bloc, the invitation was extended to Rahman in his capacity as the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh confirmed receipt of the invitation and forwarded it to the Prime Minister's office. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman stated the government is currently reviewing the request. While India seeks a constructive reset, the visit is complicated by the presence of deposed former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India, where she remains while facing death sentences in absentia in Bangladesh.

To facilitate a diplomatic thaw, India has taken several steps, including granting Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi the ceremonial status of Union Cabinet Minister and resuming tourist visas for Bangladeshi citizens in June. Trivedi recently met with Bangladeshi foreign ministry officials in Dhaka to discuss the renewal of the 1996 Ganga water treaty and the Teesta treaty, asserting that all bilateral irritants can be resolved through mutual understanding.

The summit, themed Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability, will feature leaders including Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. If he attends, Rahman may hold his first direct bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since February.