Bangladesh likely to join Islamic NATO; Pak threat looms large for India, S Jaishankar meets Putin

NEW DELHI: Bangladesh is likely to join the Islamic NATO alliance of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Bangladesh has been invited to the alliance. Rumours suggest that Iran, which is at loggerheads with the United States, may also join. Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have announced in the Mecca Mutual Defence Agreement that an armed attack on a member country will be considered an attack on them. India is closely monitoring Bangladesh's joining. Bangladesh is trying to convince its neighbours that its only concern is national interest and economic and trade issues. It is noteworthy that Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday. Putin has been invited to the BRICS leaders' summit to be held in Delhi on September 12-13. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who arrived in Beijing, is meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Peace on the India-China border will also be discussed.

What India presages:

1. Bangladesh's relations with Pakistan will expand

2. Pakistan will get a strategic position in India's eastern region

3. Possibility of ceding Bangladesh's soil to Pakistan's military moves

4. The Ganges water-sharing agreement with Bangladesh will end in December this year. Whether India will negotiate on that is also a question

Are there weapons in those planes?

Between August 19 and 21, Chinese and Turkish fighter jets arrived in Pakistan continuously. Turkish C-130 Hercules fighter jets and Chinese military transport planes arrived at air bases in Rawalpindi and Karachi. Reports say that a large number of weapons and drones were handed over to Pakistan. A team of Bangladeshi intelligence officers also arrived in Islamabad the other day. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir arrived in Iran on Monday. The goal is to mediate and resolve disputes between the United States and Iran.