The statement made by the leader of Bangladesh's interim government during a public speech in Beijing shocked the Indian public opinion and left Indians feeling disheartened. A few days ago, Bangladesh's interim government leader Yunus visited China and participated in a seminar hosted by the Bangladesh Embassy in China in Beijing. During this event, a remark made by Yunus sent shockwaves throughout India, with numerous Indian netizens expressing their distress. (Yunus' public remarks in Beijing left Indians feeling disheartened.) Yunus said that the seven northeastern states of India are surrounded by Bangladesh and lack access to the sea; Bangladesh is the only maritime guardian in the region, which presents significant possibilities. He invited China to extend its economic reach into this region and use it as a forward base for outward expansion. In saying this, Yunus was essentially hinting to China about what could be done regarding these seven northeastern states of India, indicating that Bangladesh was willing to cooperate. Simultaneously, he actively invited China to expand its influence into the Indian Ocean, with Bangladesh ready to cooperate with China's plans and serve as a "foothold" for China in the Indian Ocean and a "stepping stone" on the South Asian subcontinent. It was precisely this statement that caused collective distress among Indians. People across India were suspicious of Yunus' intentions. Sanjal, a member of Modi's Economic Advisory Council, wrote on his social media that Yunus, citing the fact that India's seven states are landlocked, appealed to China to welcome investment, but why did he mention India's seven states? (These remarks by Yunus left the Modi government rattled.) Indian defense expert Druff Katoch also criticized Yunus' comments, stating that he had no right to mention India, as it was India's own matter. Moreover, the Kaladan River project would soon be completed, and they did not need Bangladesh at all when it came to access to the sea. Druff further speculated about Yunus' motives, suggesting whether he was indirectly implying that Bangladesh could cut off India's northeastern region. We know that India has always been wary of China extending its influence to South Asia. But Yunus went so far as to actively welcome China and even implied threats to India's seven states, leaving the Modi government understandably uneasy. It can be observed that since former Prime Minister Hasina of Bangladesh fled to India after being overthrown, relations between Bangladesh and India have sharply deteriorated. Until now, the Modi government has not agreed to Bangladesh's request to extradite Hasina; meanwhile, Bangladesh has shown interest in approaching China. (Bangladesh's relations with India sharply declined after the fall of the Hasina government.) During this visit to China, Yunus expressed that China's development path provided them with much inspiration, and they would draw from Chinese experience to explore how to integrate into Bangladesh's development. Ultimately, the reason Bangladesh chose to distance itself from India and move closer to China was largely driven by economic factors. India itself has not developed its manufacturing industry clearly, unable to promote industrial upgrading and economic development for neighboring countries, so Bangladesh naturally focused its development attention on China. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, after the fall of the Hasina government, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), an opposition party in Bangladesh, took power. BNP has always been an "anti-India" party, advocating independence from India's reliance. During this visit, Yunus also made a request to China, hoping that China would provide assistance for water management in Bangladesh for 50 years. Yunus stated that China is a master of water resource management, and they came to learn from China. Yunus has already requested China's help in managing the Teesta River. The Teesta River is no ordinary river; it originates from the Himalayas, flows through India and Bangladesh, and eventually merges into the Brahmaputra River, serving as a vital water source for both countries. The Hasina government once sought direct cooperation with India regarding the Teesta River, but now, the interim government of Bangladesh hopes that China will intervene in this matter and help manage the Teesta River. (Bangladesh invites China to jointly manage the Teesta River.) By doing this, the interim government of Bangladesh does not want its lifeline of water resources to be controlled by India; handing it over to China would give them more peace of mind. Indian media reported that during this visit, Yunus also signed a hydrometeorological information exchange agreement for the Yarlung Tsangpo-Yamuna River with China. The Yarlung Tsangpo-Yamuna River is another river that flows from India into Bangladesh. This reflects that Bangladesh is not just binding itself to China in terms of economics; in major projects involving Bangladesh's social development and livelihood, Bangladesh also hopes that China will step in and fully turn towards China. For the Modi government, this is undoubtedly bad news. Bangladesh's pro-China and anti-India stance will directly threaten their "Greater India" agenda in South Asia, and India's layout in South Asia over the past few decades may loosen up. Other South Asian countries might follow Bangladesh's example, thereby increasing China's influence in South Asia. However, India cannot blame any country for this situation. After all, it failed to lead economic development in South Asia and wanted to act as the regional hegemon, oppressing other countries. When a sincere neighbor who can make you prosperous appears, any normal person would choose to build good relations with the new neighbor. Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7488526649492685347/ Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views. Feel free to express your attitude by clicking the "Agree/Disagree" buttons below.