As Bangladesh 2.0 approaches a pivotal juncture in its journey, one often overlooked but deeply consequential question remains: How should the country shape its defense priorities in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape? The great power competition is fierce with the transnational threats, and maritime vulnerabilities, Bangladesh must reconsider its defense allocation and strategic focus. While air power holds symbolic appeal, the pragmatic reality of Bangladesh’s geography and security needs demands greater investment in the Army and Navy.
The geo-strategic reality
Bangladesh is a riverine and coastal nation bordered on three sides by India, with a small but strategically significant boundary with Myanmar and it has a vast deltaic plain interspersed with over 700 rivers with a maritime frontier in the Bay of Bengal. The nation’s defense posture must be shaped by this geography. Most conventional and non-conventional threats -- be they border incursions, insurgency, disaster response, or maritime security -- occur on land and sea, not in the air.
The Bay of Bengal is now a hub of increasing geo-political interest, with China, India, and the US ramping up naval presence and infrastructure investment. As Bangladesh aspires to unlock the potential of its Blue Economy, maritime security has become directly linked to national economic sovereignty. In other words, the future of Bangladesh lies in the sea. If we don’t secure it, someone else will.
Why the Army still matters
Bangladesh’s geostrategic vulnerabilities are most visible along its land borders. The country shares a 4,096km-long land boundary with India -- one of the longest international borders in the world -- and a 271km porous border with Myanmar, which is often unstable due to internal conflict and Rohingya refugee movements. These border zones are hotspots for transnational crimes, smuggling, ethnic tensions, and occasional security flare-ups. As such, the Bangladesh Army plays a vital role in border surveillance, deterrence, and conflict management, especially in sensitive areas like the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf belt.
Beyond conventional defense, the Army also plays a critical role in counter-insurgency operations, such as those in the post-conflict CHT; disaster relief, such as response to floods, cyclones, and humanitarian crises like the Rohingya refugee influx. Indeed, the Army remains Bangladesh’s first responder during domestic crises and natural disasters -- its role extends far beyond warfare. This makes Army modernization not just a defense investment, but a national resilience imperative.
Moreover, the modernization of the Bangladesh Army -- through better logistics, command-and-control systems, and digitization -- will increase its interoperability with regional and global partners, allowing Dhaka to play a larger role in UN peacekeeping and multilateral defense exercises.
The Navy: Bangladesh’s maritime shield
The Navy has been the most underutilized arm of Bangladesh’s defense -- this must change. With over 118,000sq-km of maritime territory and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rich in fishery and potential gas reserves, maritime security is no longer optional; it is a pillar of national prosperity.
The Navy’s role in securing Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), patrolling against illegal fishing, preventing trafficking and smuggling, and responding to maritime disasters is becoming more complex each year. Bangladesh must enhance its coastal radar coverage, expand its naval fleet (particularly frigates, OPVs, and submarines), and establish forward operating bases closer to the maritime borders.
As the Indian Ocean becomes a contested space, Bangladesh must build layered naval capabilities to ensure sovereignty and economic protection. Bangladesh’s recent acquisition of submarines from China and participation in Indian Ocean naval exercises are good signs. However, these steps must be part of a larger, long-term naval strategy with clear doctrine, interoperability training, and indigenous shipbuilding capability.
Why air power should play a supporting role
Air power is considered a cornerstone of modern defense in many countries. Nevertheless, in Bangladesh’s case, overinvestment in high-end air assets like fighter jets or long-range bombers risks yielding diminishing returns.
There are several reasons for this: First, Bangladesh’s airspace is compact, and the threat of high-altitude strategic bombing is negligible. Second, the country does not face air invasions that require large-scale aerial combat capabilities; also, maintaining aircraft needs high costs as it needs immense maintenance, training, and logistical support. These costs often outweigh their utility in the context of Bangladesh. Third, terrorism, border conflict with India and Myanmar, and maritime challenges are asymmetric threats. They are better addressed by ground and naval forces than by air strikes.
Hence, air superiority is important, but it must complement -- not compete with -- land and sea defense. Bangladesh’s Air Force should focus on support functions -- such as aerial surveillance, drone reconnaissance, troop and disaster relief transport, medevac operations, and quick response logistics. Investments in UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), AWACS (airborne warning and control systems), and air mobility platforms are likely to yield better value than jet fighter acquisitions.
Budget realities and strategic choices
Defense planning is not just about capability, it’s about prioritization. Bangladesh’s annual defense budget stands for fiscal year 2025-26 at around US $3.5 billion -- modest by regional standards. Given finite resources, smart choices must be made.
The Army and Navy, due to their wider applicability in domestic and regional missions, deserve the lion’s share of modernization efforts. This includes:
- Enhancing joint operational command systems
- Building coastal defense infrastructure and deep-sea ports
- Investing in logistics and mobility for rapid ground deployment
- Boosting maritime surveillance and underwater detection systems
With scarce resources and budget, we cannot fight future wars with prestige weapons but fight them with strategic foresight. This makes recalibrating procurement strategy smart and essential.
Strategic partnerships with China, India, the US, and Japan should be leveraged to receive technical support and training -- particularly in maritime domain awareness and joint disaster response.
Learning from others
A country like Bangladesh must learn valuable lessons from others. Such as, Vietnam prioritized land and maritime forces due to its complex coastline and border history with China. Likewise, Sri Lanka’s defense posture has historically emphasized land and naval capabilities, particularly during and after its civil war.
Even Singapore, despite its advanced air force, devotes significant attention to sea and land-based defense, including conscription for army readiness. The common thread among these examples is that air dominance is only one piece of a larger, context-driven defense puzzle -- not a silver bullet.
Grounded and anchored
As Bangladesh charts its path toward a secure and prosperous future, its defense posture must be realistic, regionally aware, and economically sustainable. Air power, while symbolically impressive, is not where the country’s most pressing vulnerabilities lie.
Instead, Bangladesh must anchor its strategic future in the sea and fortify its resilience on the ground. A modern, agile army and a capable, forward-deployed navy will serve as the true guarantors of sovereignty -- defending not only borders and coastlines, but also the country’s economic lifelines and global aspirations. It is time for Bangladesh to think beyond the glamour of the skies -- and invest where it truly matters.
Md Obaidullah is a graduate student of Political Science, University of Southern Mississippi. He is also a Visiting Scholar, Department of Development Studies, Daffodil International University, Dhaka.
