40 Years of India-Bangladesh Relations (1971-2010): Ups And Downs

In the phase of interdependence, no country can afford to live in isolation. Therefore, foreign policy becomes a crucial instrument to operationalise objectives of nation-states in the international arena. There are many trends which can be identified with the post-cold war scenario. The dominant trend is that of globalization. The world today is being referred to as ‘global village’. The world is becoming a more integrated economic community that it was ever before, supported by the communication revolution. India and its neighbours have many things in common, particularly their political history. Bangladesh emerged on the world map as sovereign independent country in December 1971. India’s role in the liberation of Bangladesh strengthened bilateral ties between the two nations. The study is an attempt to understand the relationship between India and Bangladesh from 1971 to 2010. This paper first provides a brief overview of India-Bangladesh relations followed by discussing the change in their relationship in detail.