According to The Washington Post, India has reportedly pushed the United States to adopt a more lenient stance towards the human rights violations and political suppression carried out by the government of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

During high-level meetings, Indian officials urged the U.S. to moderate its pro-democracy rhetoric regarding Bangladesh, arguing that if the opposition were to gain power through open elections, it could lead to Bangladesh becoming a hub for Islamist groups, thereby threatening India’s national security.

An Indian official, speaking anonymously, stated that the issues for India are “much, much more serious and existential” than just democracy, and that India conveyed to the U.S. that it couldn’t be considered a strategic partner unless there was a “strategic consensus” on this matter.

“There were a lot of conversations with the Americans where we said, ‘This is a core concern for us, and you can’t take us as a strategic partner unless we have some kind of strategic consensus,” he said.

After protesters defied curfew orders and marched on Prime Minister Hasina’s residence, forcing her to flee to India, policymakers in New Delhi and Washington are now reassessing whether they mishandled the situation in Bangladesh.

There were differences within the Biden administration on how to approach Bangladesh ahead of the January elections. Some in the State Department, including the former ambassador, called for a tougher stance against Hasina’s government over human rights concerns. However, others argued that further alienating the Awami League leader would not be in the US’s best interests.

India had lobbied the US to take a more lenient approach towards Hasina, arguing that if the opposition gained power, it could lead to Bangladesh becoming a hub for Islamist groups, threatening India’s security. This influenced the Biden administration to soften its criticism and shelve threats of sanctions against Hasina’s regime, disappointing many Bangladeshis.

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US officials acknowledge this was a “balancing act” - trying to be consistent with American values while also being pragmatic about the complex realities in Bangladesh and the various interests at play, including India’s concerns. The goal was to find a constructive way to engage with Hasina’s administration.

This lobbying effort by India led the Biden administration to soften its criticism of Hasina’s regime and shelve threats of further sanctions, disappointing many Bangladeshis. However, U.S. officials acknowledged that this was a calculated move influenced by India’s concerns about the regional implications of a change in power in Bangladesh.