The Pakistan Army is set to return to Bangladesh in February 2025, marking the first time since it was expelled from what was then East Pakistan in 1971. This development raises significant security concerns for India.
Amidst diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh following the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina government, the Pakistan military’s new agreement with Dhaka is likely to alarm New Delhi. Starting February 2025, the Pakistan Army will begin training its Bangladeshi counterpart.
This marks the first instance since the 1971 Liberation War — which led to the creation of an independent Bangladesh — that Dhaka has engaged in a military agreement with the Pakistan Army to train Bangladeshi soldiers.
According to a report by The Economic Times, the proposal was extended to Bangladesh by Pakistan Army’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman, General S. Shamshad Mirza.
The report indicates that the agreement was reached as part of the interim Yunus-led government’s effort to strengthen ties with Islamabad. The training will be conducted in four Bangladeshi Army cantonments, starting with the Mymensingh cantonment, which houses the Training and Doctrine Command headquarters of the Bangladesh Army.
Sources suggest that Pakistani officers, potentially at the rank of Major General, will train Bangladeshi officers.
Why Should India Be Worried?
Historically, Pakistan-trained officers held significant leadership positions within the Bangladeshi Army in the two decades following its independence. The return of the Pakistan Army could revive anti-India ideologies among Bangladeshi soldiers, similar to those seen during the early years of Bangladesh’s independence.
India has long accused Pakistan of fostering terrorism and insurgency in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Terror groups operating against India have had their bases in Pakistan, with Indian intelligence alleging the active involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks that claimed over 165 lives.
Two prominent Bangladeshi officers trained by the Pakistan Army — General Ziaur Rahman and Lieutenant General H.M. Ershad — went on to become Presidents of Bangladesh, further underscoring the long-term impact of such training on the country’s political and military landscape.
The 1971 Liberation War, which saw India’s intervention amidst a massive refugee crisis in its Northeast, significantly diminished anti-India sentiment in Dhaka’s leadership. Subsequent governments, particularly those led by the Awami League under Sheikh Hasina and her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, adopted a pro-India stance. However, Hasina’s exile in Delhi and the shift in Dhaka’s leadership suggest a potential reversal of this approach.
Strategic Implications for India
The Pakistan Army’s re-entry into Bangladesh could pose a security challenge to India, particularly in its strategically sensitive Northeast, where China, Pakistan’s ally, has been expanding its military and strategic influence.
Additionally, reports indicate that the Yunus-led interim government has been targeting Bangladesh Army leaders perceived to be aligned with the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina by filing cases against them. This may pave the way for the reorientation of the military leadership away from its historical ties with India.
Under leaders like H.M. Ershad, an alumnus of India’s National Defence College, Bangladesh maintained cordial ties with New Delhi. However, the current shift in Dhaka’s foreign policy could undermine this relationship.
India is likely to view this development as a serious threat to its regional security. Strengthening diplomatic ties with Dhaka, enhancing security measures along the Northeast border, and countering China and Pakistan’s influence in the region will remain key priorities for New Delhi.