The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that the repatriation of Bangladeshi citizens who are illegally staying in India is a core issue in the Delhi-Dhaka relationship. Responding to comments from Bangladesh's new government about possible 'push-ins' from the Indian side, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal sought Dhaka's cooperation on expediting the repatriation of at least 2,862 identified illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

The Indian response came days after Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said Dhaka would take appropriate measures if attempts are made to push-in individuals from India across the India-Bangladesh land boundary.

The matter had gained attention in Dhaka after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma referred to his government's policy on pushing-in Bangladeshi migrants through the unguarded land boundary without going through the procedures laid down by the MEA.

The Ministry of External Affairs expects Bangladesh to expedite nationality verification of the identified individuals to facilitate smooth repatriation, with Mr. Jaiswal reiterating that all illegal foreign nationals staying in India must be repatriated as per Indian laws and established bilateral arrangements. The court will resume hearing on the matter after the Indian government discusses the issue with the state governments and the Bangladesh government, with the MEA likely to hold further discussions with Dhaka to resolve the issue.