INDIAN EXPRESS DATED 22nd AUG 2026

Summary of Important News Items Editorials-438

INDIAN EXPRESS DATED 22nd AUG 2026.

(for reading Indian Express News items from 1 to 437 please visit –

web.prernaforias.com)

1. India–Bangladesh Ties: Uncertainty over Tarique Rahman’s Visit

Uncertainty surrounded the proposed India visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman after Rashtrapati Bhavan issued, and then withdrew, a statement referring to rehearsals for his ceremonial welcome. Neither the MEA nor Dhaka confirmed the visit. The episode reflects continuing strain in bilateral ties after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 2024 ouster and refuge in India. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her extradition and wants clarity from New Delhi before Rahman’s visit, while India stresses a forward-looking relationship based on reciprocity and wider strategic interests. Both sides have significant stakes in connectivity, energy, water-sharing, border management, trade and people-to-people links. India has also invited Rahman to the forthcoming BRICS summit. The logic is that a major bilateral relationship cannot be reduced to one politically sensitive issue. The gist is that India and Bangladesh need calibrated diplomacy that manages the Hasina question without allowing it to derail long-term economic, security and regional cooperation.

2. Piracy Returns near Somalia and Yemen: 22 Indian Seafarers Affected

Twenty-two Indian seafarers were aboard two vessels hijacked near Somalia and Yemen, highlighting renewed maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Aden and adjoining waters. One vessel, Sibu 1, was reportedly boarded by armed men and redirected towards Somalia, while Lutuf was similarly taken over off the Somali coast. Their location-transmitting systems were subsequently switched off. Analysts link the resurgence of piracy partly to the diversion of international naval assets towards the West Asia conflict and Strait of Hormuz, leaving older piracy-prone corridors comparatively exposed. India has a particularly high stake because it is the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers, with around 311,936 maritime professionals, accounting for 12.2% of the global workforce. The logic is that maritime security is not only about naval strategy but also trade, labour protection and supply-chain stability. The gist is that India requires stronger naval coordination, vessel tracking, anti-piracy cooperation and institutional protection for Indian seafarers operating in high-risk waters.