This Week in Explainers: Is US military’s rising presence in Bangladesh a concern for India?

India and the United States’ relationship is not in good shape currently. While there has been progress to bring the ties back on track, New Delhi may need to be cautious of increased American military activities in Bangladesh.

India and the US are holding talks to reach a trade deal. However, tensions remain between the two countries after Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. Now, the relationship between New Delhi and Washington is further threatened after the US announced its plan to revoke the sanctions waiver for Iran’s Chabahar Port.

The Supreme Court has put a pause on certain amendments of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. However, it refused to stay the law while hearing a bunch of pleas challenging the validity of the Act.

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Here’s all this and more in our weekly wrap from India.

1. A C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft of the US Air Force landed at the Shah Amanat International Airport in Bangladesh’s Chittagong earlier in the week. This came as the US, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka conducted ‘Operation Pacific Angel 25-3’ exercises at the Bangladesh Air Force Zahurul Haque base.

The development could be a concern for New Delhi as Chittagong lies near the borders of India and Myanmar, making it a strategically important zone. Earlier, the US and Bangladesh held the Tiger Lightning 2025 exercise in Sylhet’s Jalalabad Cantonment. We explain why the rise in the US military activities in the neighbouring Bangladesh may worry India.

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2. The US has announced it will revoke the sanctions waiver for Iran’s Chabahar Port on September 29. In its bid to put pressure on Tehran, Washington threatened that anyone involved in operating, financing or servicing the port will face the same Treasury restrictions as other Iranian entities.

This has serious ramifications for India’s economic and trade interests. The port, which lies at the mouth of the Gulf of Oman, gives India better access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing rival Pakistan. Last year, the state-run India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) acquired the right to equip and operate the Chabahar Port for 10 years. Now, the US has put India in a tough position with its sanctions waiver. We explain here.

3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 75 this week. Since forming the government in 2014, he has become a champion of the “swadeshi” campaign. PM Modi has been vocal about making India self-reliant in different sectors, including defence and space.

He has also turned yoga into a global phenomenon. During his tenure, PM Modi has given a priority to Hindi and other native languages. Read our story on the Indian leader’s efforts at making ‘vocal for local’ the heart of his government.

4. The Supreme Court has stayed several provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The law was passed by Parliament in April, amending the Waqf Act, 1995, which governs the management of Waqf properties in the country.

The amendment made several changes to the law, including changing its name to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act. Now, many of these provisions have been put on hold. Here’s our story.

5. The US continues to attack India over trade relations. America is desperate to sell its corn to the South Asian country. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said recently, “India brags that they have 1.4 billion people. Why won’t 1.4 billion people buy one bushel of US corn?”

American corn has become one of the sticking points between India and the US during trade negotiations. New Delhi has refused to give in to the US’ demand for market access for corn. Read our report here.

6. Delhi’s Red Fort is turning ‘black’, according to the new study. Researchers from India and Italy have found the formation of “black crusts” on the walls of the Mughal-era monument.

They warned that if steps were not taken, the intricate carvings on the Red Fort could be damaged. But why is the 17th-century monument developing black crusts? We will explain.

7. A senior Finance Ministry official died after a BMW rammed into his motorcycle in Delhi. His wife, who was riding with him, sustained serious injuries. The man was identified as Navjot Singh, Deputy Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance. He and his wife, Sandeep Kaur, were returning home from Bangla Sahib Gurdwara when the incident happened near Delhi Cantt metro station on Ring Road.

The BMW was driven by Ganganpreet Makkad, a Gurugram resident. Kaur has accused Ganganpreet of not admitting the couple to a nearby hospital, despite her repeated requests. Instead, she took them nearly 20 km away to a facility where she had connections. But who is Ganganpreet Makkad? Read our story.

This is all we have for you this week. If you want to stay updated with our explainers, you can bookmark this page.