All communication channels with Bangladesh authorities open: Indian army chief

Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi says all branches of the country’s armed forces have communication channels open with Bangladesh in order to “avoid misunderstandings”.

He made the remarks on Wednesday during an annual press conference of the Indian Armed Forces in New Delhi.

“As of today, all three services have kept their communication channels fully open,” Dwivedi said. “The Indian Army has multiple channels of communication open, and I remain in regular touch with their chief there.”

“In the same way, we are also in contact through our other channels as well. We had sent a delegation there, which met everyone on the ground. Similarly, the chief of the naval staff and the chief of the air staff have also spoken. The intention is to ensure that there is no miscommunication or misunderstanding.”

He gave assurances that whatever actions are being taken by the three services are “not directed against India in any way”.

Dwivedi added that India is closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh amid recent developments and tensions.

"First of all, it is important for us to understand what kind of government is in place in Bangladesh. If it is an interim government, we need to see whether the actions it is taking are meant for the next four to five years, or only for the next four or five months. We have to judge whether there is any need for us to react immediately or not.”

He said, “As far as capability development is concerned, it is something that is an ongoing process. India is also doing it, and other countries are also doing it.”