4 min readNew DelhiJul 17, 2026 04:34 AM IST National security chiefs of BIMSTEC countries on Thursday vowed to jointly combat regional security challenges and endorsed new guiding principles to streamline maritime law enforcement coordination. This is significant since BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) comprises India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan, and all of them have stakes in the developments in the Indian Ocean. The meeting held in New Delhi was hosted by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the national security advisors and heads of delegations discussed practical and result-oriented solutions to combat terrorism and organised crime, and to ensure security in the cyber, maritime and energy domains. It said they also deliberated on boosting connectivity, facilitating efficient disaster management, and tackling new and emerging threats. “They adopted guidelines for the maritime component of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. These guidelines will help BIMSTEC member states to undertake relief operations in the region in an expeditious manner,” the MEA …