BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise:
The inaugural BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise, being conducted in the Bay of Bengal.
- BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise is the inaugural maritime security exercise of BIMSTEC.
- It aims to strengthen maritime cooperation and enhance regional security among member states.
- The exercise brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
- The exercise seeks to translate the regional grouping’s vision into practical cooperation through enhanced operational coordination and stronger maritime security mechanisms.
- The exercise underscores BIMSTEC members’ commitment to maintaining a secure, open and inclusive maritime domain, reflecting the shared vision of “Shared Seas, Shared Security and Shared Prosperity” and promoting peace, stability and sustainable development across the region.
BIMSTEC:
- The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a grouping of seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal.
- The organization came into existence in 1997 through the ‘Bangkok Declaration’.
- Members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.
- It was formed as BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand Economic Cooperation) in 1997.
- It was renamed to BIMST-EC with the addition of Myanmar in 1998.
- It was fully transformed into BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) in 2004.
- Objectives is to strengthen technical and economic cooperation among its seven member nations situated around the Bay of Bengal.
- BIMSTEC organizes intergovernmental interactions through Summits (held once in 2 years), Ministerial Meetings (Convened annually), Senior Officials Meetings (held twice a year).
- Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
