Commander (H) Bhanu Abeygunawardhana, RSP, psc, MSc (Hydrography), MSc (Defence & Strategic Studies), Military Research Officer of the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS) attended the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) held at New Delhi, India, from 06th May to 07th May 2025. Importantly, the diplomatic corps of BIMSTEC countries, representing Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, was in attendance to witness the BIMSTEC security dialogue. Furthermore, including the secretary general of the BIMSTEC, higher-level officials of BIMSTEC, various scholars, representatives from Think Tanka, researchers and university students also attended the two-day important discussions. Furthermore, the Track 1.5 BIMSTEC two-day security dialogue was held at the Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi.
In particular, the Track 1.5 BIMSTEC security dialogue was focused on the following key interconnected themes, such as Strengthening Maritime Security in the Bay of Bengal, Economic Security and Connectivity in the Bay of Bengal Region, Tackling Transnational Organized Crime Through Regional Cooperation, Cyber Security Challenges and Emerging Technologies, Tackling the Growing Threat to Water Security in the BIMSTEC Region and Harnessing Track 2 Dialogues for Stronger BIMSTEC Cooperation.
Commander (H) Bhanu Abeygunawardhana, has delivered the speech in the initial session of Track 1.5 BIMSTEC security dialogue under the theme of “Strengthening Maritime Security in the Bay of Bengal” and followed by participating in the panel discussions. During the speech, he highlighted traditional and non-traditional security threats in various ways in the Bay of Bengal. However, Deep-rooted in the annals of naval warfare, safeguarding maritime sovereignty and territorial integrity, Competition over resources, Security of the Sea Line of Communication, Maritime power projection, becoming intense focal point of geopolitical rivalry and Increasing submarine activities in the Bay of Bengal are highlighted as common traditional threats facing today by the Bay of Bengal maritime boundary countries.
On the other hand, during the speech, he has expressed that smuggling, trafficking, human trafficking, Illegal migration, maritime terrorism, Piracy, Illicit maritime trade, Marine pollution, Sea level rise, arms smuggling, marine environmental challenges, climate change, Illegal dumping and Catastrophic natural disasters as common non-traditional maritime security threats in the Bay of Bengal region. Importantly, during his speech, Commander (H) Bhanu Abeygunawardhana, has highlighted What specific policy measures can be adopted by BIMSTEC Member States to enhance maritime security in the Bay of Bengal region, What targeted strategies can BIMSTEC implement to counter illicit maritime activities in the Bay of Bengal, In what ways can BIMSTEC address unsustainable maritime practices to protect marine resources and ensure long-term security and sustainability in the Bay of Bengal and How can BIMSTEC fortify critical port infrastructure against both natural disasters and security threats such as terrorism and smuggling, ensuring resilience in the face of emerging risks.
In conclusion, Commander (H) Bhanu has highlighted that India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar have key responsibility for guaranteeing the maritime security of the Bay of Bengal as boundary countries to the bay in order to keep away other state actors controlling the region. Finally he has recommended to have firm polices and strategies on Enhance Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication & Coordination, building trust, Enhance Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Capacity Building, Information & Intelligence Sharing, Joint Protocols and Procedures, common protocol for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Maritime Law Enforcement Cooperation, Marine Environmental & coastal Environmental Protection and Adopting Sustainable Development Goals in the Maritime Sector in order to strengthen the maritime security of Bay of Bengal.