For India, there are multiple challenges unfolding in this scenario. First, the growing popularity of the ‘India Out’ campaign for electoral gains in India’s neighbourhood—Maldives, Bangladesh and occasionally, Nepal—directly counters India’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy, and by implication, puts India at a disadvantage vis-à-vis China. This brings into question India’s ability to contribute to the broader security framework in the region. Second, with the Bangladeshi military getting more proactive politically, it could potentially turn out like another Pakistan, trying to curry favours with both the US and China, which have generally preferred to deal with more authoritative regimes in this region. Third, the US appears to be playing hard ball to express its intolerance to India’s strategic autonomy. Fourth, unlike in 1971, the domestic opinion in India doesn’t seem to be in favour of absorbing yet another stream of refugees followed by migration. Fifth and finally, a return to the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami combine rule in Bangladesh is like a reversal to the pre-1971 East Pakistan days when India’s north-east insurgent groups were actively supported and provided safe havens in Bangladesh. The stakes are high, and we can ill afford yet another adversarial front. India must be actively involved to standby its proven friends and prevent Bangladesh’s return to the East Pakistan days.