NRC process is entirely internal to India, will have 'no implications' for Bangladesh: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla

In an apparent effort to address Bangladesh's concerns over the updation of National Register of Citizens (NRC), Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday (March 2) stressed that the NRC will have no implications for Bangladesh and its people and the process is "entirely internal to India".

"As closest of neighbours, it is inevitable that events in each other's countries create ripples across the border. A recent example is a process of updating NRC in Assam, which has taken place entirely at the direction of the Supreme Court," Shringla said while addressing a seminar in Dhaka.

"This is a process that is entirely internal to India. Therefore there will be no implications for the Bangladesh Government and the people of Bangladesh. You have our assurance on that count," he added.

Notably, Shringla is currently on a two-day visit to Bangladesh and his visit to Dhaka is the first high-level contact between India and Dhaka since the eruption of nationwide protests against NRC and Citizenship Amendment Act.

Meanwhile, talking about the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Dhaka on March 17 to commemorate the birth anniversary of 'Bangabandhu' or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Shringla noted that PM Modi is waiting for his visit to Dhaka.

"PM Modi has been specially invited to take part in the inaugural ceremony of Mujib Barsho later this month. We are looking forward to this visit, both because of the priority Prime Minister attaches to this relationship and even more so, because Bangabandhu is just so iconic - as a globally-recognised statesman and iconic symbol of liberation for Bangladesh and for our subcontinent. For us in India, there is a special resonance to his name," he said.