Our intelligence failed to predict Bangladesh crisis, say experts

India must rethink its strategy to become a credible regional power amidst evolving global dynamics, according to Commodore Bhaskar.

With the unfolding of the recent crisis in Bangladesh and the sudden change of guard, India is in a delicate position with its neighbours. It needs to rethink its neighbourhood strategy and evolve and develop on its own to become a credible political, economic and military power in the region, said Commodore (Retd) C. Uday Bhaskar, director of the New Delhi-based Society for Policy Studies.

Commodore Bhaskar and senior journalist K.V. Prasad were addressing a seminar jointly organised by Visakhapatnam-based Centre for Policy Studies and Visakhapatnam Public Library on Thursday. The duo spoke on the topic ‘India and Evolving Global Strategic Framework’.

Commodore Bhaskar pointed out that India now has to decide whether it wants to engage with China, and together become a force to reckon with, or take a firm stance against China on territorial issues.

“India has to manage the relationship cautiously, as China is a superior force when it comes to political, economic or military strength,” he said. “That is the reason I say that if India wants to be a credible force in this region, it has to develop on all the three fronts on its own and should be self-dependent,” said Commodore Bhaskar.

Speaking about the developments in Bangladesh, he said that the Indian intelligence had failed to warn the Central government about the developments in that country, despite being a neighbouring country.

Asked if the situation in Bangladesh would revert to a state of affairs that prevailed prior to its liberation in 1971, he said, “There are clear indications of such developments apropos Islamist forces and we have to now wait and watch how things shape up.”

However, he was uncertain whether there could be a hand in the ‘Deep State’ strategy of any foreign country. But he made it clear that if China now plays a key role and Bangladesh allows China to set up a naval base in some port like Chittagong, the entire dynamics in the Bay of Bengal could change for India.