Ajit Doval has largely stepped back from regularly briefing Sheikh Hasina during her stay in India, according to a report published by Amar Desh Online on August 6, 2026 and updated early the following day. The report says India has a practice of holding regular “debriefing sessions” for foreign guests who arrive under special circumstances, citing the Dalai Lama’s arrival in 1959 as an example.

Such sessions are intended to inform guests about the overall situation, explain India’s perspective on different issues, and clarify what is expected of them, the report says. Doval initially performed this role himself for several months after Hasina arrived in India. It says his announced and unannounced visits to Dhaka had helped establish a positive personal equation with Hasina, making the process smoother.

The report says responsibility has shifted to Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka, or to current chief Mahesh Dixit after Deka’s retirement last month. It attributes Doval’s reduced involvement to his workload or other reasons. Some observers cited in the report view the change as evidence that Hasina no longer holds the same level of importance in Delhi’s eyes.