New Delhi, February 12 India said on Thursday that it would wait for the outcome of the elections in Bangladesh and the mandate, and then address the issues that arise.
As polling was underway in the neighboring country in the afternoon, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, said, "We stand for free, fair, inclusive, and credible elections in Bangladesh."
Voting for the 13th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh was held along with a referendum on the implementation of a complex 84-point reform package, known as the July National Charter. Counting of votes began after voting concluded at 4:30 pm (local time).
During his weekly briefing here, Jaiswal was asked about both the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami in their manifestos mentioning "robust defence plans", and if this is a cause for concern for India.
"The elections are taking place in Bangladesh. We should wait for the outcome of the elections to see what sort of mandate has emerged...and thereafter, we will address the issues that arise. Regarding the elections themselves, you know our position. We stand for free, fair, inclusive, and credible elections in Bangladesh," he said.
The spokesperson of the MEA was also asked if any observers were sent by New Delhi.
"We did receive an invitation to send observers. We have not sent our observers to Bangladesh," he said.
The election is being considered a direct contest between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its former ally Jamaat-e-Islami, in the absence of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's now disbanded Awami League.
"Significant results may be available overnight," an election commission spokesperson said.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' interim government disbanded the Awami League and barred it from contesting the polls last year.
Jaiswal also fielded a volley of queries on the status of India's sourcing of oil from Russia amid the current tariff policy of Washington.
"Again, regarding Russian oil, I've said that the foreign secretary has made an elaborate statement. Please refer to that, as it will give you an idea of our approach. I have also spoken on this podium on several occasions, and otherwise, regarding our approach to energy sourcing," he said.
India will maintain multiple sources for crude oil purchases and diversify them to ensure stability in the supply chain, with national interests remaining the "guiding factor" for procurement, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday amid a swirling controversy over Washington's claim that New Delhi has agreed to stop importing Russian oil.
Jaiswal was also asked for a comment on a United Nations sanctions monitoring report mentioning a Pakistan-based terror outfit in the context of the Red Fort blast in Delhi last November.
"This particular report that you refer to is available in the public domain. It is online. This was the 37th Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team. It was published on February 4, 2026.
"And, we have seen that they have taken into account our inputs, India's inputs regarding our concern about cross-border terrorism, and also as to how we can strengthen the global fight against terrorism," the spokesperson of the MEA said.
