NEW DELHI: The first meeting of Home Ministers of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) concluded in New Delhi on Tuesday with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, committing member countries to strengthen regional cooperation against terrorism and transnational crime.
The declaration was adopted at the inaugural meeting involving Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It reaffirmed the members’ commitment to building a connected, secure, resilient and prosperous region through cooperation in the security sector.
The ministers strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism, and called for a comprehensive and sustained response in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law. They also called for effective implementation of United Nations Security Council sanctions measures, including those of the 1267 Sanctions Committee.
The declaration expressed solidarity with victims of terrorist attacks in member countries and their families, and called for those responsible to be brought to justice under applicable domestic and international laws.
Recognising the Bay of Bengal region as a shared security space, the ministers identified terrorism, drug trafficking, organised crime, cybercrime, money laundering, human trafficking, arms smuggling, piracy and the misuse of cyberspace for terrorist activities among the key transnational challenges requiring coordinated action.
The declaration also highlighted the growing use of technology by criminal networks to traffic people and force victims into online fraud and scam operations. It called for stronger cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as countries where scam centres operate, adopting a victim-centred approach that safeguards the rights of those trafficked.
The ministers underlined the need to counter radicalisation, terrorist recruitment and the financing of terrorism, while preventing the exploitation of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.
Emphasising the importance of implementing existing regional agreements, the declaration called for full and effective implementation of the BIMSTEC Convention on Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking, which came into force in March 2021. It also urged effective implementation of the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed in March 2022.
The member countries agreed to pursue early finalisation of conventions on extradition, transfer of sentenced persons and trafficking in persons, as well as standard operating procedures for the rescue, repatriation and reintegration of trafficking victims.
The declaration further called for effective implementation of action plans on human trafficking, narcotic drugs and precursor chemicals, and anti-money laundering. It also encouraged finalisation of an action plan on countering radicalisation and terrorism.
The ministers highlighted the need to develop the BIMSTEC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk and continue consultations on a proposed regional information-sharing mechanism on trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. They also committed to providing training and capacity-building programmes for officials of member states to address terrorism and other transnational crimes.
The declaration commended the work of the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime and its sub-groups, mandating them to follow up on the implementation of the decisions adopted at the meeting.
It also encouraged regular meetings among delegations of member countries on the sidelines of the United Nations and other international and regional forums to coordinate their positions on shared concerns.
The ministers appreciated India’s initiative to host the inaugural meeting, describing it as an important milestone in developing BIMSTEC’s institutional framework for regional security cooperation. They also welcomed the BIMSTEC Secretariat’s efforts to secure observer status at the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering and encouraged it to explore partnerships with organisations including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, INTERPOL and the Financial Action Task Force.
The declaration reaffirmed the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference, peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit, stating that security cooperation under BIMSTEC would complement, rather than replace, bilateral and other forms of regional and international cooperation.
The member countries also committed to holding Home Ministers’ meetings regularly and hosting future meetings in their respective countries.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday called for stronger regional cooperation against terrorism, drug trafficking, organised crime and emerging cyber threats as India hosted the first meeting of BIMSTEC Home Ministers in New Delhi.
Chaired by Shah, the meeting brought together delegations from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand to strengthen security cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region. The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration and approval of agreements and action plans covering transnational crime, financial intelligence and disaster management.
Shah said India remained committed to a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and called for coordinated efforts to ensure that terrorist networks could not find safe havens, recruit members, undergo training, raise funds or operate against neighbouring countries from any part of the region.
He stressed the need for timely intelligence sharing, financial investigations, mutual legal assistance and extradition to bring criminals and terrorists to justice. He also identified five key areas of cooperation: drug control, counter-terrorism and legal cooperation, repatriation of fugitive criminals, cybersecurity and cybercrime investigations, and institutional cooperation and capacity building.
Describing drug trafficking as “death trafficking”, Shah said the narcotics trade threatened young people, society, culture and future generations. He called for a “whole-of-region” approach, noting that proceeds from drug trafficking could strengthen organised crime and finance terrorism. The diversion of precursor chemicals and transactions through the dark web, he said, further complicated efforts to tackle the menace.
Shah also highlighted disaster management as a priority for regional cooperation. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal at the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok in April 2025, he said the proposed BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre was planned to be established in Jamnagar, Gujarat. He urged member countries to participate actively in making the centre operational.
The meeting approved five key initiatives. These include the BIMSTEC Convention against Trafficking in Persons, aimed at strengthening cooperation in preventing human trafficking and protecting and rehabilitating victims; the BIMSTEC Plan of Action on Drug Control; and a memorandum of understanding on capacity building to combat money laundering and terror financing.
The member states also approved a plan of action on illicit financial flows and their prevention, as well as a plan to enhance preparedness and coordination in addressing natural disasters in the Bay of Bengal region. The latter envisages cooperation in risk planning, joint exercises, early warning systems, disaster mapping, information sharing, research, training and tsunami risk reduction.
The Delhi Declaration, adopted at the meeting, reaffirmed the member countries’ commitment to regional peace, security and development. It calls for coordinated action against cross-border terrorism, radicalisation, terror financing, human trafficking, drug smuggling, cybercrime and organised crime.
The declaration also emphasises information sharing, mutual legal assistance, extradition, capacity building and effective implementation of existing regional agreements. It highlights the need to protect people trafficked into online scam operations and calls for cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination.
India reiterated its commitment to sharing expertise in police training, counter-terrorism operations and forensic investigations. The meeting also reviewed existing BIMSTEC security initiatives and discussed measures to strengthen cooperation against emerging threats.
Shah said the security of one member state strengthened that of the entire region, reaffirming India’s commitment to a peaceful, secure and prosperous Bay of Bengal region. He described BIMSTEC as an important platform for regional integration, economic cooperation and collective security, and said India was pursuing the spirit of “Vishwamitra”, with an emphasis on peace, coexistence and human welfare.
The meeting followed the decision taken at the fourth BIMSTEC Summit in 2018 to convene Home Ministers’ meetings to improve coordination on counter-terrorism and transnational crime. The initiative was further advanced at the sixth summit in Bangkok in 2025, where member states welcomed the mechanism to provide strategic direction to regional security cooperation.
