First BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise in Bay of Bengal

The seven countries of BIMSTEC have put to sea together for the first time. The inaugural BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise is being held from 30 October to 3 November 2026, and it is the grouping's first joint drill devoted to security at sea.

Who is taking part

All seven members of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation are in it: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Two of them, Bhutan and Nepal, are landlocked, which makes the exercise as much a political statement about the region as a naval one.

The ideas behind it

The drill carries two mottos, Translating Vision to Action and Shared Seas, Shared Security and Shared Prosperity. It builds on what was decided at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, held under the theme BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient and Open, and turns those summit decisions into something the navies and maritime agencies can practise.

What the exercise is meant to achieve

• Better interoperability between the forces of member states
• Stronger maritime domain awareness across the Bay of Bengal
• Improved coordination mechanisms among participating nations
• Exchange of best practices in maritime security

Why the Bay of Bengal matters

The bay is the sea bridge between South Asia and South-East Asia. Trade, connectivity, energy security and economic growth in the region all depend on it staying safe and open, which is why a shared drill on maritime security carries weight beyond the ships involved.

The Andaman and Nicobar angle

The exercise throws light on the strategic value of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and on the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), which is India's first integrated tri-service command, that is, a single command bringing the Army, Navy and Air Force under one commander. The islands sit astride critical sea lanes of communication, and the command's work in maritime surveillance, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, search and rescue, and engagement with neighbouring countries makes it a pillar of security in the bay.

By coming together for this first exercise, the BIMSTEC states have restated their commitment to a maritime space that is secure, open and inclusive, and to regional solidarity in the pursuit of peace, stability and sustainable development.