India’s zero-sum mentality exposed when media cautious about Chinese naval fleet’s visit to Bangladesh

The Indian media's zero-sum mentality and their suspicion of China's normal military exchanges with South Asian countries have been exposed, Chinese experts said, as several India media adopted a wary tone in their coverage of a Chinese naval fleet's visit to Bangladesh. 

Chinese naval training ship Qi Jiguang (Hull 83) and amphibious dock landing ship Jinggangshan (Hull 999) arrived at Bangladesh's southeastern Chattogram seaport Saturday, kicking off a three-day visit. 

According to the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, during the visit, the fleet will organize bilateral meetings with the Bangladesh side and hold open days and receptions on deck, and will conduct professional exchanges and other activities with local people, aiming to strengthen exchanges, cooperation and mutual trust with the Bangladeshi navy.

Yao Wen, Ambassador of China to Bangladesh, welcomed the training fleet at the port on Saturday, according to the Chinese embassy. 

This visit marks the first occasion in four years since a Chinese naval fleet last visited Bangladesh, and it is the first foreign naval fleet to visit since the establishment of the Bangladeshi interim government. The visit holds significant importance for deepening the China-Bangladesh friendship and cooperation, said the embassy.

Indian media outlet The Hindu linked the Chinese fleet's visit to Bangladesh with the construction at the Chattogram Seaport, and alleged the facility had earlier attracted attention as it has the potential to host submarines and warships.

"The visit highlights the complex geopolitical landscape in South Asia, with Bangladesh balancing its relationships with both China and India. While the interim government's foreign policy direction remains to be fully defined, this visit suggests a continuation of the close ties between China and Bangladesh," said Defence.in, an online portal on the Indian defense and aerospace sectors.

Indian media speculation and the wary attitude toward normal military exchanges between China and Bangladesh reveal a zero-sum mentality in how India views China's cooperation with other South Asian countries, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Sunday. Qian noted that this mentality stems from India's entrenched belief in treating other South Asian nations as its own backyard.

Qian said that India has been keeping a close watch on Bangladesh's policy toward China after the interim government took over, and the visit of the training fleet signals that Dhaka's pragmatic cooperation with China in not only military areas, but also in various fields will remain unchanged, as the two countries share profound ties of collaboration and both bear goodwill in pushing forward ties.