‘Urgent need to collaborate’: NSA Doval as BIMSTEC security chiefs adopt maritime norms
Disruptions in global supply chains have also resulted in economic hardship for all our countries, Doval said
Warning that the region faces an increasingly volatile security environment marked by geopolitical conflicts, terrorism, cyber threats and disruptions to global supply chains, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Thursday called for greater cooperation among BIMSTEC nations as the grouping adopted key maritime norms to strengthen regional security.
Addressing the 5th meeting of BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs in New Delhi, Doval said there was an “urgent need” for member states to collaborate and take decisive action to address common security challenges through dialogue and collective efforts.
“We are meeting today in the backdrop of a challenging global landscape. We are witnessing conflicts and geopolitical uncertainties. We are also facing multi-domain security threats amplified by rapid technological advancement. Disruptions in global supply chains have also resulted in economic hardship for all our countries,” Doval said.
“In this setting, there is an urgent need for us to collaborate, take decisive actions for our mutual benefit, and find solutions through mutual discussions and deliberations to the problems that we are all facing,” he added.
Reflecting that emphasis on collective security, the seven-member Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) adopted guidelines for the maritime component of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and endorsed a set of guiding principles for interactions between maritime law enforcement agencies at sea.
The HADR guidelines are aimed at enabling member states to undertake faster and more coordinated relief operations during natural disasters and humanitarian crises, while the maritime law enforcement principles seek to improve operational predictability and promote safety during engagements at sea.
Hosted by India, the meeting was attended by National Security Advisors and heads of delegations from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The security chiefs also discussed practical and result-oriented measures to combat terrorism and transnational organised crime, strengthen cyber, maritime and energy security, enhance regional connectivity, improve disaster management mechanisms and address new and emerging threats.
BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey presented a comprehensive overview of the progress made in the security sector and briefed member states on cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
Highlighting the grouping’s growing strategic significance, Doval said BIMSTEC represents one of the world’s most dynamic regions, bringing together 1.7 billion people — nearly 22 per cent of the global population — with a combined GDP of almost USD 5 trillion.
“We are united by the Bay of Bengal, not just geographically, but also through deep civilisational and cultural legacies that have evolved over a millennium of shared bonds,” he said.
Doval said BIMSTEC had steadily strengthened cooperation in combating terrorism, transnational organised crime, cyber threats and maritime challenges, and was now poised to jointly tackle emerging security risks.
He said BIMSTEC’s long-standing goals of regional security, connectivity, capacity building and economic security should continue to guide the grouping’s collective efforts, adding that for India, BIMSTEC represents the country’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, ‘Act East’ vision and the ‘MAHASAGAR’ (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) initiative.
As BIMSTEC prepares to mark its 30th anniversary next year, the National Security Advisors reaffirmed their commitment to deepen collaboration, strengthen institutional capacities and enhance regional resilience to effectively address evolving security challenges.
