Jaishankar and Ayaz Sadiq hold a brief conversation; Analysts caution against reading too much into the episode
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar shake hands at the Bangladesh Parliament in Dhaka. Photo: ONLINE
ISLAMABAD:
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar briefly exchanged greetings in Dhaka on Wednesday, marking the first high-level face-to-face interaction between officials from the two neighbors since their four-day military confrontation last May.
The interaction took place on the sidelines of the funeral of former Bangladeshi prime minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda Zia, who died on Tuesday after a prolonged illness.
Both Sadiq and Jaishankar were in Dhaka to represent their respective countries at the funeral rites. While the meeting itself was brief and informal, the image of the two leaders shaking hands immediately attracted attention given the prevailing freeze in relations between India and Pakistan.
The photograph was shared by the official X account of Bangladesh CEO Dr. Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government.
“Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq exchanges greetings with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar in Dhaka on Wednesday ahead of the funeral program of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia,” the post from Yunus’ office said.
The Indian government did not issue any statement about the interaction. However, Pakistan’s National Assembly Secretariat later confirmed the exchange in an official statement giving further details.
According to the statement, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq visited Bangladesh’s parliament before the funeral to record his remarks in the condolence book, where foreign ministers and representatives of high-level delegations from several countries were present.
“On this occasion, the Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar personally approached the Speaker of the National Assembly and introduced himself with a handshake,” the statement read. It added that Jaishankar remarked during the brief exchange that he was “familiar with Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s personality.”
While diplomatic handshakes are routine at multilateral events, the symbolism of this particular interaction has generated interest due to the sharply adversarial state of India-Pakistan relations over the past year and the tough stance taken by New Delhi under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
Following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the subsequent four-day military conflict with Pakistan in May, India announced a policy of “no public engagement” with Pakistan in any form. This approach was not limited to diplomatic channels but also extended to sports and cultural interactions.
Soon after the conflict, when the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams faced each other during the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Indian players reportedly avoided the customary post-match handshake. The Indian women’s and junior teams later followed the same template, reinforcing New Delhi’s policy of symbolic emancipation.
Against this backdrop, the Ayaz-Jaishankar handshake has sparked a debate over whether India is rethinking aspects of its public withdrawal strategy or whether the interaction should be seen strictly as a matter of diplomatic courtesy at a solemn international event.
Analysts caution against reading too much into the episode. They note that informal interactions at funerals and multilateral gatherings do not necessarily indicate a political shift. But they also recognize that symbolism matters in diplomacy, especially when relations are otherwise frozen.
The year 2025 had been challenging for Indian foreign policy, with critics arguing that New Delhi’s assertive stance has contributed to growing regional and international unrest. India’s decision to launch missile strikes after the Pahalgam attack, citing alleged Pakistani involvement, quickly escalated into a brief but intense military exchange.
Pakistan’s calibrated but forceful response surprised not only India but also several international observers, prompting urgent diplomatic intervention by major powers to prevent further escalation. While the conflict lasted only four days, its political and diplomatic consequences have been significant.
For India, the confrontation revealed limitations in its crisis management and drew criticism over the risk of escalation between two nuclear-armed states. For Pakistan, the episode proved to be a turning point. Before the Pahalgam attack, Islamabad was grappling with diplomatic challenges and economic pressures. However, the post-conflict period saw a noticeable shift in Pakistan’s geostrategic status.
Pakistan’s handling of the crisis received praise from key international actors, including US President Donald Trump, who publicly referred to Pakistan’s response as restrained but effective. At the same time, Pakistan’s traditional partnerships in the Arab world experienced renewed momentum.
Within this broader context, the brief handshake in Dhaka, while lacking any significant diplomatic engagement, has taken on overarching significance. Social media platforms in both Pakistan and India were quick to amplify the image, with reactions ranging from cautious optimism to outright skepticism.
So far, officials on both sides seem eager to downplay the meeting. Still, the image of a handshake between senior Pakistani and Indian leaders in a region where even small gestures are scrutinized has once again underscored how symbolism can resonate far beyond the moment itself.
