Delhi Talks Reset With Dhaka But Holds Back Its New Envoy
According to an Indian media outlet, The Print, India has yet to approve Bangladesh’s proposed appointment of Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam as the next High Commissioner in New Delhi, leaving the diplomatic posting unresolved amid already strained relations between the two neighbours.
In a Nutshell
- Bangladesh has sought India’s agrément, or formal approval, for Asad Alam Siam’s appointment as its next High Commissioner in New Delhi.
- More than a month after the request was made, India has not yet approved it, according to The Print.
- Siam is currently Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary and previously served as the country’s Ambassador to the United States.
- Bangladesh’s current High Commissioner to India, M Riaz Hamidullah, is expected to move to Geneva as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN around mid-October.
- Without India’s agrément, Bangladesh cannot formally announce Siam’s appointment. Under the Vienna Convention, the receiving country is not required to publicly explain its refusal of a proposed diplomatic envoy.
Context
Asad Alam Siam is a career diplomat and is currently serving as the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh. According to The Print, India has delayed granting him formal approval for his appointment as its next High Commissioner in New Delhi for over a month.
India holds up the approval of Asad Alam Siam, as Bangladesh’s current High Commissioner in India, M Riaz Hamidullah, is expected to move to Geneva. On the other hand, Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi, who is a politician rather than a career diplomat, arrived in Dhaka on June 12, 2026, and has been meeting with senior politicians, ministers, officials, and other stakeholders.
Why It Matters
A High Commissioner is one of the main channels through which two neighbouring countries manage disagreements, negotiate sensitive issues, and maintain regular communication. Leaving that position unresolved, at a time when both sides are talking about improving relations, does little to create diplomatic momentum. Moreover, the contrast between multiple gestures of engagement and the unresolved approval of Bangladesh’s proposed envoy therefore becomes particularly noticeable.
What We Think
This is not something unusual. During Riaz Hamidullah’s appointment, Bangladesh experienced the same delay as it is experiencing now. But our sources said that Asad Alam Siam's appointment will take place by the first week of October. India appears keen to keep the conversation going in Dhaka, with its High Commissioner actively meeting people across the political and institutional landscape, and has also extended an invitation to Bangladesh’s prime minister. Meanwhile, the approval of Bangladesh’s proposed High Commissioner remains pending. Now, whether the delay is procedural or politically deliberate is not clear, but the mixed signals are certainly difficult to overlook.