Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is back with another geography lesson—this time, again claiming that India’s northeastern states are “landlocked” and pitching Bangladesh as their only ocean gateway.
Speaking during a meeting with Nepal’s Deputy Speaker, Yunus proposed an “integrated economic plan” linking Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and India’s Northeast—popularly called the “Seven Sisters.” He claimed, “We have more to gain together than apart,” and promoted cooperation in hydropower, healthcare, and road connectivity.
Sounds reasonable, right? Except, this comes just months after Yunus pitched the same idea to China—using India’s own territory as a selling point.
Ever heard of the Siliguri Corridor? It’s not ideal, but it’s not non-existent. Plus, India has already made massive investments in road, rail, and air infrastructure across the Northeast.
Yunus’s repeated claim that India’s Seven Sisters are “landlocked” feels less like a geography fact and more like a political pitch—to China, no less.
And that’s where the irony kicks in.
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Drama in Diplomacy, Disguised as Development
Yunus recently said in China:
“The Seven Sisters of eastern India… have no direct access to the ocean. We are the only guardian of the ocean for this entire region.”
That’s not just bad diplomacy. That’s opportunism dressed as regional unity. Bangladesh is free to court China—but dragging Indian states into the narrative? That’s crossing a line.
It’s like inviting your neighbor to your housewarming party, then telling his rival, “You know, he can’t even leave his backyard without going through my gate.”
India’s View: We’re Building Our Own Gate
India has already signed a Tripartite Power Sales Agreement with Nepal and Bangladesh to use Indian grids for electricity trade—proof that cooperation can work without undermining national borders or playing middleman politics.
India is also working with Japan on the Act East policy, building multimodal hubs, expressways, and border trade infrastructure—all of which give the Seven Sisters far more than a single route to the sea.
So no, India’s Northeast is not a helpless island waiting for rescue.
Bottom Line
Regional cooperation? Absolutely.
Economic corridors? Yes, please.
But if the idea of “integration” is built on reducing India’s Northeast to a landlocked pawn in China’s grand game, we’re not buying it.
Also Read Arunachal Pradesh Isn’t Up for Debate—India Shuts Down China’s Claim
