India will host the fifth BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs and Advisers’ Meeting in New Delhi on July 16, bringing together senior security officials from the seven-member regional grouping to strengthen cooperation against terrorism, maritime threats, cybercrime and transnational organised crime.
The meeting, chaired by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, will be attended by National Security Advisers and equivalent officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
It comes as the Bay of Bengal region grapples with a range of interconnected security challenges, from instability in Myanmar and maritime crime to cyber threats and organised criminal networks that increasingly transcend national borders.
Counter-terrorism is expected to dominate the discussions. India is likely to advocate stronger intelligence sharing and closer cooperation against cross-border terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation, while exploring ways to improve real-time information exchange among security and law enforcement agencies.
The agenda also includes combating transnational organised crime, with officials expected to discuss coordinated responses to drug trafficking, illicit arms smuggling, money laundering, terror financing and human trafficking. These issues have become common security concerns across the BIMSTEC region, requiring greater institutional cooperation rather than isolated national responses.
Maritime security will feature prominently given the strategic importance of the Bay of Bengal and the growing volume of commercial shipping through its waters.
Discussions are expected to cover Maritime Domain Awareness, protection of sea lanes of communication, combating piracy and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, maritime law enforcement cooperation, white shipping information sharing, search and rescue operations, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
Energy security and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure are also likely to figure in the deliberations.
Cybersecurity is another major priority. Officials are expected to examine measures to counter ransomware attacks, cyber espionage and coordinated disinformation campaigns, while discussing the protection of critical digital infrastructure and the security implications of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Border management, disaster response, climate-related security challenges and capacity building are also expected to be discussed.
The meeting is expected to lay the groundwork for BIMSTEC’s first maritime security exercise involving the coast guards and navies of all seven member states, scheduled for November 2026. It is also likely to provide momentum for the grouping’s first Home Ministers’ Meeting, which India is expected to host later this year.
Bangladesh’s participation will be closely watched amid recent diplomatic strains with India. Dhaka, which currently chairs BIMSTEC, has confirmed that the Defence Adviser to the Prime Minister will lead its delegation, indicating that both countries remain committed to maintaining cooperation through regional institutions despite bilateral differences.
The National Security Advisers’ mechanism was established following the 2016 Goa Retreat held alongside the BRICS Summit, where BIMSTEC leaders agreed to institutionalise security cooperation.
Since then, it has evolved into one of the grouping’s principal forums for intelligence coordination, disaster management and responses to shared security challenges.
For India, the meeting is part of a broader effort to strengthen BIMSTEC as a platform for regional cooperation spanning South and Southeast Asia.
As SAARC has remained largely inactive, New Delhi has increasingly turned to BIMSTEC to advance collaboration on security, connectivity and economic issues under its Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.
While no formal declaration is expected, officials anticipate progress on practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, maritime coordination and law enforcement cooperation.
The discussions are also expected to reinforce BIMSTEC’s growing role in addressing common security challenges across the Bay of Bengal, where strategic competition and non-traditional threats continue to reshape the regional landscape.
