India, Feb. 17 -- Muhammad Yunus, while announcing his exit as Bangladesh government chief on Monday, invoked India's northeastern "Seven Sisters" states alongside Nepal and Bhutan while outlining a sub-regional economic vision in his farewell address, a formulation that is likely to draw attention in New Delhi amid already strained India-Bangladesh ties.

In a televised speech a day before stepping down, Yunus said Bangladesh's foreign policy under his 18-month tenure restored three core pillars - sovereignty, national interest, and dignity - and declared that the country was "no longer submissive" or guided by other nations' directives.

"Our open sea is not only a geographical boundary, it is an open door to engage with the world econo...