China’s Growing Influence in Bangladesh & Pakistan’s Crisis

China is tightening its grip on Bangladesh, with Dhaka’s Foreign Office hailing Beijing as its "closest friend" and deepening military and economic ties—think a naval port near Chittagong and 72% of Bangladesh’s arms coming from China. Meanwhile, the U.S. isn’t sitting idle, sending top Indo-Pacific generals to woo Bangladesh’s Army Chief as the great power chess game unfolds. Over in Pakistan, chaos reigns—Baloch rebels hijack a train in a stunning act of defiance, the economy nosedives with the rupee at 281 per USD, and IMF bailouts barely keep the country afloat. The army’s grip is loosening, and resentment is boiling over. For India, the stakes are rising: China’s encroachment in its backyard, a volatile Pakistan on the brink, and a full-blown U.S.-China face-off in South Asia could mean some serious foreign policy headaches.