Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct. 30: The Bay of Bengal’s maritime security, regional trade routes and capacity to respond to cross-border crimes and natural disasters take centre stage as the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) hosts the inaugural BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise in Sri Vijaya Puram from October 30 to November 2. The exercise brings together naval assets from four member countries and representatives from two landlocked nations, marking a regional effort to strengthen maritime coordination across South and Southeast Asia.
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand are participating with naval assets, while Bhutan and Nepal are sending representatives. Although landlocked, the two countries depend heavily on the Bay of Bengal for their export-import (EXIM) trade, making maritime stability important to their economic interests.
The four-day exercise unfolds in two phases. The harbour phase focuses on professional exchanges, discussions and operational planning, while the subsequent sea phase aims to improve interoperability among participating forces through coordinated activities at sea.
The exercise focuses on strengthening maritime domain awareness (MDA), improving operational coordination across the Bay of Bengal and expanding regional security cooperation. Its agenda also covers humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), responses to cross-border maritime crimes and coordinated action against marine pollution caused by oil and hazardous material spills.
The initiative comes amid growing emphasis on the security of international maritime routes. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz during the Middle East crisis have drawn attention to the importance of protecting freedom of navigation and the right of transit passage under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Article 44 requires states bordering international straits not to hamper or suspend transit passage.
For BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal serves as a strategic link between South Asia and Southeast Asia, connecting five South Asian members — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka — with Myanmar and Thailand.
The regional grouping has advanced maritime cooperation through the BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation, signed at its sixth summit in Bangkok in April 2025. Its maritime security agenda includes information-sharing, disaster response and oil pollution management.
The BIMSTEC Expert Group on Maritime Security Cooperation has finalised guidelines for maritime law enforcement agencies to coordinate during encounters at sea. A proposed BIMSTEC White Shipping Agreement aims to strengthen maritime domain awareness, with India preparing to submit a draft for consideration by member states.
On marine pollution, the grouping has developed regional oil spill response guidelines covering a proposed contingency plan, standardised emergency procedures, joint exercises and capacity-building. It has also finalised guidelines for the maritime component of HADR and a Plan of Action on Comprehensive Disaster Management.
Four BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercises have already taken place. India has additionally proposed a regional Disaster Management Centre to coordinate relief operations, alongside cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
