India has expressed its willingness to work jointly with Bangladesh to combat militancy amid concerns raised by a United Nations Security Council report over Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) activities in South Asia and its attempts to establish a foothold in Bangladesh.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks at the ministry’s regular press briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday.
“Terrorism and national security should be a concern for everyone. It is a common curse for all of us, and we want to fight this problem together,” Jaiswal said.
He was responding to questions about the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team’s 38th report on ISIL and Al-Qaeda and whether India and Bangladesh have any bilateral mechanism to counter militancy.
The UN report referred to recent AQIS activities, saying the November 2025 attack on Delhi’s Red Fort had officially been identified as an AQIS operation. It also expressed concern that the group was seeking to expand its network and establish a foothold in Bangladesh.
Asked about a possible visit to India by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Jaiswal said any new information would be shared.
On Bangladesh’s request for an additional 4,000 litres of diesel, he said the two countries already have existing cooperation in the fuel sector.
“We are reviewing the request for additional allocation based on our own requirements, refining capacity and availability of supplies,” he said.
Asked about the status of infrastructure development projects in Bangladesh funded by India, Jaiswal said the two countries want to maintain a positive, constructive and forward-looking relationship based on mutual interests and equality.
On whether Bangladesh had requested the resumption of talks on the Teesta water-sharing issue, he said matters concerning the two countries’ shared rivers are addressed through existing bilateral mechanisms.
He referred to the Joint Rivers Commission and other technical committees dealing with river-related issues, saying these mechanisms remain active.