Ajit Doval Calls for Unified Front Against Terrorism, Organised Crime at BIMSTEC Meet

India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval chaired the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) national security chiefs meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. In his address, Doval urged member states to unite in combating terrorism and organised crime, stressing the need for practical solutions to address evolving security challenges.

The security chiefs discussed a range of issues, including cross-border terrorism, radicalisation, drug trafficking, cybercrime, and money laundering. They endorsed a set of principles for maritime law enforcement interactions at sea, aimed at enhancing cooperation among navies and coast guards of member nations.

BIMSTEC brings together seven countries—India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand—representing a dynamic region with a combined population of over 1.7 billion and a significant share of global trade. The grouping has increasingly focused on security cooperation in recent years.

Doval emphasised that closer regional collaboration is essential to effectively counter non-traditional security threats such as terrorism and organised crime, which often transcend borders. The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the security architecture within the BIMSTEC framework.