New Delhi: In a response that sidestepped Bangladesh’s allegations that Indian authorities have been attempting to push people across the border, India on Friday, June 5, claimed the deportation of illegal Bangladeshi nationals is carried out through an established bilateral mechanism. The remarks came days before top border commanders from the two countries are scheduled to meet in New Delhi.The remarks were made at the media briefing of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following fresh allegations by Bangladesh that its border guards had thwarted multiple attempts by Indian authorities to send people into Bangladeshi territory.Asked about the allegations, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had laws to deal with all foreign nationals residing illegally in the country, including Bangladeshis.“All foreign nationals in India, if they are here illegally, including from Bangladesh, we have laws to deal with them and they will be accordingly dealt with,” he said.Jaiswal said India follows a bilateral mechanism before deportations take place.“As far as deportation of these people is concerned, there is a bilateral mechanism in place. Once we have [identified such people], we refer these cases to the Bangladeshi side for them to verify the nationality of these people. And once it is verified, then we take forward the deportation process. We have several or many of these requests which are still pending with the Bangladeshi side,” he said.Last month, the MEA said India had sent details of more than 2,860 suspected Bangladeshi nationals for verification to Dhaka, which is still pending.When asked specifically whether “push-in” was part of this official process, Jaiswal did not directly answer the question.“I told you what is our position as far as dealing with illegal foreign nationals in this country is concerned. Over and above, if you have any other question, I would urge you to take it to Ministry of Home Affairs. They perhaps will have more to say on this particular subject,” he said.The remarks came a day after Bangladesh’s Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said it had foiled ten attempts by Indian authorities to move people into Bangladesh over the previous 24 hours, according to a Reuters report.In a statement, the BGB said it had detected attempted incursions at several points along the frontier and would not permit any individual or group to enter Bangladesh illegally. It added that any actions violating border management norms and bilateral understandings would be “strictly resisted”.One of the alleged incidents occurred in Jhenaidah district, where the BGB claimed Indian Border Security Force personnel attempted to move 30 to 35 people towards Bangladeshi territory in a prison van after opening a border gate. The Bangladeshi force said it prevented the attempt.Bangladesh has consistently argued that the return of its citizens should take place only after nationality is established through the agreed bilateral process.The issue has emerged amid an Indian drive against undocumented migrants, which had gained momentum ahead of elections in the states of West Bengal and Assam. In recent months, authorities in several states have detained large numbers of suspected illegal immigrants, particularly in eastern and northeastern India.The question of push-ins has become a growing source of friction between the neighbours since the beginning of the year. Bangladeshi officials have repeatedly expressed concerns that some individuals sent as Bangladeshi nationals were later found to be Indian citizens or nationals of third countries.The matter is expected to figure prominently at director general-level talks between the BSF and BGB in New Delhi from June 8 to 11.The meeting, to be led by BSF Director General Praveen Kumar and BGB Director General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, is the first such engagement since the new BNP-led government took office in Bangladesh earlier this year.According to Bangladeshi officials, discussions are expected to focus on alleged push-ins, irregular migration and repatriation procedures, alongside longstanding concerns over border killings, smuggling of narcotics and arms, unauthorised construction near the frontier and management of transboundary rivers.The biannual talks come as both sides seek to stabilise relations following a turbulent period after the 2024 ouster under the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus. While recent months have seen a resumption of high-level engagement between New Delhi and Dhaka, border management and migration remain among the most sensitive issues in the relationship.