BIMSTEC Holds 4th Expert Meet to Strengthen Regional Maritime Security

The meeting served as a platform for Member States to exchange perspectives and evaluate progress under the BIMSTEC Maritime Security agenda.

The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) hosted the fourth meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group on Maritime Security Cooperation from 24–25 November 2025 in New Delhi. Chaired by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (Retd.), India’s National Maritime Security Coordinator, the meeting brought together senior officials, maritime law enforcement agencies, policy-makers, and security specialists from all BIMSTEC Member States.

The deliberations marked another significant step in strengthening the Bay of Bengal region’s collective capability to address evolving maritime challenges and ensure a secure and resilient maritime environment.

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Full Participation from All BIMSTEC Nations

Representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand—the BIMSTEC Member States—participated in the two-day meeting, reaffirming their commitment to:

• Strengthening regional maritime cooperation

• Enhancing operational coordination

• Promoting rules-based, collective maritime response strategies

• Advancing security and economic stability in the Bay of Bengal

The meeting served as a platform for Member States to exchange perspectives and evaluate progress under the BIMSTEC Maritime Security agenda.

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Five Focus Areas Guide BIMSTEC’s Maritime Security Efforts

The discussions centered on deliverables under five identified focus areas, which aim to respond to pressing maritime security concerns, including:

1. Maritime Law Enforcement Cooperation

2. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)

3. Information Sharing and Maritime Domain Awareness

4. Capacity Building and Training

5. Operational Coordination and Joint Maritime Activities

These focus areas form the backbone of BIMSTEC’s maritime security cooperation framework and shape its long-term strategic vision.

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Adoption of Maritime Security Guidelines: A Major Step Forward

One of the key achievements of the meeting was extensive deliberation on the Guidelines on Maritime Security, covering issues such as:

• Maritime safety protocols

• Anti-piracy and anti-smuggling measures

• Search and rescue operations

• Disaster management coordination

• Environmental security in coastal areas

• Improved standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Delegates offered constructive technical recommendations, demonstrating growing regional alignment on the need for harmonized guidelines and cooperative approaches.

The discussions also highlighted a shared understanding that maritime threats transcend borders and require joint strategies grounded in trust and interoperability.

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Exploring Joint Maritime Exercises and Enhanced Information Sharing

The Member States explored the feasibility of:

• Conducting joint maritime exercises in the near future

• Strengthening real-time information-sharing systems

• Developing collective rapid response mechanisms against threats such as:

  • Illegal fishing

  • Trafficking and smuggling

  • Piracy

  • Environmental disasters

  • Maritime terrorism

  • Cyber vulnerabilities in the maritime sector

This renewed emphasis on collective preparedness aligns with BIMSTEC’s goal of building a coordinated, reliable, and agile maritime network across the Bay of Bengal rim.

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Enhancing Capacity and Capability Through Cooperation

The expert group reaffirmed the importance of capacity-building and skill enhancement, including:

• Joint training programs

• Exchange of best practices

• Technology sharing

• Maritime domain awareness platforms

• Cooperation among naval forces, coast guards, and marine policing agencies

Member States emphasized the need for capability building in:

• Surveillance technologies

• Port security

• HADR coordination

• Maritime ecological protection

• Early-warning systems

Such initiatives are essential to strengthening BIMSTEC’s collective resilience.

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Bay of Bengal Maritime Domain: A Shared Responsibility

The meeting underscored that the maritime domain remains the central binding factor connecting BIMSTEC countries. The Bay of Bengal is vital for:

• Trade and logistics

• Blue economy initiatives

• Energy security

• Fisheries and coastal livelihoods

• Regional connectivity

• Strategic stability

Given the region’s increasing geopolitical importance, the Member States recognized the need for unified, long-term maritime security strategies.

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Successful Meeting Marks a Key Milestone in Regional Security Cooperation

With productive discussions, consensus-driven outcomes, and forward-looking commitments, the fourth BIMSTEC Expert Group Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation marked an important milestone in:

• Advancing collective maritime governance

• Deepening operational synergy

• Enhancing trust and confidence among member nations

• Building a collaborative maritime security ecosystem

It reinforced BIMSTEC’s vision of a secure, stable, and prosperous Bay of Bengal region, where maritime cooperation acts as the cornerstone of regional solidarity and strategic partnership.