First BIMSTEC maritime security exercise strengthens Bay of Bengal cooperation

The inaugural BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise is being conducted from 30 October to 3 November 2026, bringing the grouping’s seven member countries together to improve coordination and maritime security cooperation in the Bay of Bengal.

India’s Ministry of Defence said the exercise aims to strengthen interoperability, maritime domain awareness and exchanges of operational best practices. It links regional security cooperation with the protection of a maritime region supporting trade, connectivity and energy flows between South and South-East Asia.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The exercise provides a practical mechanism for advancing cooperation among these countries, building on commitments made at the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok in April 2025.

This story was originally published by Maritime Gateway. Read the full story at Maritime Gateway →