By The Pulseline News Desk
Sri Lanka has called for deeper regional cooperation to address evolving security challenges in the Bay of Bengal, urging member states of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to strengthen collective action against transnational threats.
Speaking at the 5th BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs’ Meeting in New Delhi, Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) said the region’s increasingly complex security environment demands coordinated responses founded on mutual trust, sustained dialogue and practical cooperation among member nations.
Addressing senior security officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, Thuyacontha stressed that regional security is a shared responsibility and cannot be effectively safeguarded through unilateral action.
He noted that terrorism, violent extremism, cybercrime, transnational organised crime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, misinformation and climate-induced disasters continue to pose significant challenges to the Bay of Bengal region, requiring closer collaboration and intelligence-sharing among neighbouring countries.
Highlighting BIMSTEC’s growing strategic importance, the Defence Secretary described the regional grouping as a vital bridge between South and Southeast Asia, with an increasingly important role in promoting peace, stability and sustainable development across the region.
He urged member states to strengthen intelligence-sharing mechanisms, enhance cooperation in combating cyber threats and organised crime, improve humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities, and deepen institutional collaboration to better respond to emerging security risks.
Sri Lanka also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing regional cooperation through BIMSTEC, with Thuyacontha calling on member countries to transform their geographical proximity into a strategic partnership capable of addressing both traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
The discussions in New Delhi brought together National Security Chiefs and senior security officials from all seven BIMSTEC member states to review the region’s evolving security landscape and identify avenues for enhanced cooperation on shared concerns.
Sri Lanka’s participation comes as the country seeks to strengthen its role in regional security diplomacy and expand engagement with neighbouring states on issues ranging from maritime security and counterterrorism to cyber resilience and disaster management.
The meeting concluded with Sri Lanka assuming responsibility for hosting the 6th BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs’ Meeting in 2027, a move expected to further reinforce the country’s role in shaping regional security cooperation within the Bay of Bengal framework.
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