Suryaa National Desk: The inaugural BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise, aimed at enhancing regional maritime security in the Bay of Bengal, has concluded in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Conducted under the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), the five-day event focused on strengthening coordination and military ties among member nations, with an emphasis on maritime route security and mutual cooperation.
Naval vessels and senior officials from India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and other member countries participated in the exercise. The program began in Sri Vijaya Puram with harbor-phase activities, including professional discussions and cultural exchanges. These were followed by operational exercises at sea, which served to improve interoperability between the participating navies.
BIMSTEC nations reaffirmed that such joint exercises are critical for maintaining maritime trade, energy security, and peace in the Bay of Bengal region. Officials noted that continuing these regional security initiatives under the Andaman and Nicobar Command could help effectively address issues such as piracy and cross-border smuggling.