India’s ‘Greater Bangladesh’ Drama: A Desperate Distraction from Domestic Collapse

India has recently amplified a fringe notion: a so-called “Greater Bangladesh” map, which was shared by a relatively obscure Dhaka-based group allegedly linked to a Turkish NGO. India’s External Affairs Minister raised alarms about this minor development, revealing more about the nation’s growing insecurities than any legitimate threat. This response, disconnected from reality, seems like a calculated move aimed at diverting attention from the mounting internal criticism and India’s increasing regional isolation.

Domestic Failures Masked as Foreign Threats

The Modi-led regime in India is facing rising unrest at home, fueled by a surge in hate crimes, worsening communal tensions, economic distress, and global condemnation over its policies in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). By inflating irrelevant narratives like “Greater Bangladesh,” India seeks to shift the spotlight from its widespread human rights violations, state-sponsored extremism, and failure to maintain national unity. A state grappling with internal discontent often turns to external scapegoats.

Turkey–Bangladesh Friendship Misrepresented

India’s discomfort with the growing cooperation between Bangladesh and Turkey highlights its unease over the erosion of its strategic influence in the region. Instead of recognizing sovereign diplomatic choices, New Delhi paints such alliances as threats. This pattern of viewing Muslim partnerships through suspicion distorts legitimate foreign policy engagements into paranoid conspiracies. India’s response to these diplomatic developments is less about genuine concern and more about anxiety-driven distortion.

Exporting Internal Hatred as Foreign Policy

The ruling elite in India has increasingly institutionalized its anti-Muslim sentiments within its foreign affairs. Discriminatory laws such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) have sparked widespread international concern. It seems that the Indian leadership is more focused on exporting its communal agenda abroad rather than addressing domestic unrest. By tying its internal failures to imaginary foreign threats, India dangerously mixes bigotry with diplomacy, destabilizing not only itself but the region as a whole.

From Regional Leader to Isolated Actor

India once prided itself as a stabilizing force in South Asia. However, its confrontational posture now tells a different story. Border clashes with China, diplomatic spats with Nepal, strained trade relations with Bangladesh, and ongoing hostility towards Pakistan all paint a picture of a nation steadily losing the confidence of its neighbors. The fabricated “Greater Bangladesh” narrative only cements India’s image as a reactive and disconnected player in the region.

A Manufactured Map to Salvage a Damaged Image

The controversial “Greater Bangladesh” map, circulated by an obscure social media account, holds no official standing or strategic importance. Yet, India chose to elevate it to the level of a national security issue. This is not a response to a real threat but a desperate attempt to manage national perceptions. Strong nations do not panic over online fringe propaganda, and India’s overreaction underscores how fragile its internal narrative has become.

Ignoring Real Issues, Silencing Real Voices

As India raises alarms over non-existent threats, its internal dissent continues to be silenced. Farmers protesting economic exploitation, students demanding their rights, journalists exposing uncomfortable truths, and activists calling for justice are met with violence, detentions, or censorship. In IIOJK, political leaders remain under arrest, homes are demolished without due process, and independent reporting is criminalized. Instead of addressing these realities, India looks outward to manufacture crises.

The Obsession with Control Over Collaboration

India’s refusal to engage constructively with regional neighbors reveals an outdated mindset that prioritizes domination over diplomacy. Where regional integration should prevail, New Delhi insists on hegemony, obstructing peace, trust, and mutual progress. Its adversarial outlook, rooted in control rather than cooperation, is costing India the very influence it seeks to protect.

Pakistan’s Responsible Diplomacy: A Better Path

In stark contrast to India’s aggressive tactics, Pakistan continues to present itself as a responsible and stabilizing force in the region. Committed to inclusive diplomacy, minority protection, and multilateralism, Pakistan advocates peaceful solutions and regional partnerships. In an increasingly interconnected world, power lies not in coercion, but in maturity, consistency, and credibility. Pakistan’s approach offers an alternative vision for the region, grounded in reason and responsibility.

The Real Danger Lies Within

India’s dramatic response to the “Greater Bangladesh” map reveals a deeper crisis of confidence. When a nuclear-armed regional power is rattled by unverified online content, it is not security that is in question, but stability. Rising protests, growing discontent over injustice, and increasing international scrutiny are pushing India’s leadership into a corner. From this corner, it lashes out not at the root causes, but at convenient external targets.

Conclusion: A Nation Distracted by Its Own Propaganda

India’s increasing dependence on false alarms and imaginary threats points to a nation struggling with its own failures. Rather than addressing governance gaps, social tensions, and diplomatic setbacks, India is clinging to myths to rally internal support. The “Greater Bangladesh” distraction is not about maps but about misrule. South Asia needs leadership rooted in dialogue, not division. Until India chooses truth over theatrics, its aspirations of regional leadership will remain a broken promise.