Importance of Bay of Bengal 

 The Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the world, surrounded by the countries of Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka, and divided by the chain of islands of Andaman and Nicobar in the east. The Bay of Bengal covers about 2.2 million km², where around one-fourth of the world’s population resides, and one-fourth of global marine trade flows, amounting to over 3 trillion USD in the total GDP of the regional countries. This makes the area a critical passage for important energy lifelines. The Bay of Bengal is an area rich in natural resources and highly suitable for a Blue Economy. It serves as a connecting hinge between the Indian and Pacific Oceans and holds strategic importance within the Indian Ocean Region. Approximately 6 million tons of fish and 50 trillion cubic feet of hydrocarbons could be harvested annually. It is also home to a diverse range of fish species, coral reefs, rivers, and biodiversity, making it a Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) region, ranked 64th in the world. Important ports in the region include Colombo, Chennai, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Chittagong, Mongla, and Yangon, making it a crucial area for food and energy security.

India is a leading power in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, aligned with its Neighborhood First Policy, Act East Policy, and the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative. This is evident through its proactive and assertive maritime strategies in the Bay of Bengal. The Kaladan project and Sittwe port are strategically important for India, as they would provide a maritime route connecting India’s landlocked Northeast with Southeast Asia. The strategic importance of this region is also critical for China, with the Kyauk Phyu Port and fuel pipeline project being key to its fuel imports. Large oil tankers from the Middle East pass through the Bay of Bengal daily to meet China’s energy needs. As of today, a total of 316 crude oil tankers have entered the Kyauk Phyu and Ma-De Deep Sea Port in Rakhine State.

Bangladesh is primarily focused on the sustainable exploitation of the Bay of Bengal to serve its national interests and social development through the Blue Economy. As a result, the Bay of Bengal is now referred to as the "Collective Destiny" of the region. The interactions within the bay are shaped not only by geographical conditions, religion, trade, and commerce, but also by the natural forces that offer opportunities to overcome evolving challenges and emerging threats. These interactions emphasize the strength of unity and mutual understanding among the nations in the region.

The regional countries in the Bay of Bengal are experiencing high growth rates and play a critical role between emerging India and rising China. India, in particular, is implementing a maritime strategy that positions it as a security provider for regional stability, especially in the context of evolving threats to human security. The Bay of Bengal is of significant importance to India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar due to its strategic sea lanes, natural resources, energy sector, and oil and fuel exploitation. This region also sees a mix of conflict, competition, and cooperation under political, military, and economic strategies, particularly around the unresolved grey areas at the tri-junction of Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India.

Myanmar Waters in the Bay of Bengal 

Myanmar is a country with a vast coastline, facing the Andaman Sea to the south and the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal. The Indo-China Peninsula is divided into two by Myanmar's geographical position. To the east lies the Pacific Ocean and the ASEAN countries, while to the west is the Indian Ocean, including South Asia, effectively dividing the two major oceans and regions. Alternatively, Myanmar can be seen as a land bridge connecting these two oceans and regions. Kyauk Phyu port, Dawei port, and Thilawa Deep Sea Port, located along a coastline of 1,260 nautical miles and covering waters spanning 144,912 square miles, form the rim of the Indian Ocean. These ports are geographically significant and hold great potential as transit hubs for the development of regional trade.

Moreover, Myanmar has met several key requirements to become a major player in maritime trade in the region. For example, it has a long coastline with important ports, which could be linked to China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road plans, positioning them as regional business hubs. Kyauk Phyu Port is the most strategically located port within the Bay of Bengal, among Myanmar’s natural ports, and is the closest to China’s Yunnan province. Myanmar is connected to the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal by three main navigational channels: the Preparis Channel, the Ten Degree Channel (between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands), and the Great Channel (between Great Nicobar and Sumatra Islands). As a result, Myanmar’s deep-sea ports and port cities are well-positioned to facilitate maritime traffic, with vessels passing through the Indian Ocean to Myanmar via either the Arabian Sea–Sri Lanka waterway or the Malacca Strait.

Establishment of BIMSTEC...

In 1997, Bangladesh India Sri Lanka Thailand Economic Cooperation - BIST-EC was established by the Bangkok Declaration. After Myanmar became a member at the special ministerial meeting held in 1997, the name was changed to Bangladesh-India-Myanmar-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation (BIMST-EC). Then, Bhutan and Nepal became members at the 6th BIMSTEC Foreign Ministerial meeting held in 2004 and the name of organization was changed to the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) at the first summit of BIMSTEC.

The BIMSTEC Charter has been endorsed and approved by the heads of member countries, and BIMSTEC is an organization with legal personality, operating based on established rules and regulations. Cooperation within BIMSTEC is grounded in the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, non-aggression, peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and mutual benefit. It is also stipulated that all decisions within BIMSTEC shall be made by consensus. The BIMSTEC chairmanship rotates among member countries, and Myanmar has held the position of chair twice, with Thailand currently in charge.

BIMSTEC marked its 27th anniversary on June 6, 2024 and the leaders of all BIMSTEC member States sent congratulatory messages and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the Chairman of State Administration Council, mentioned in his excellency’s message as “I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate all Member States for the collective efforts exerted under the BIMSTEC framework in addressing various challenges. I believe that our solidarity and systematic cooperation, guided by the BIMSTEC Charter. I wish BIMSTEC to be a stronger and more effective organization and to have every success in future endeavors of promoting the socioeconomic livelihoods of the peoples in the Bay of Bengal Region.” And he spotlighted the importance of BIMSTEC in the region. 

The 4th BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs’ Meeting Towards Enhancing Regional Cooperation

Myanmar successfully hosted the 4th BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs' Meeting from July 24 to 26, 2024. National security chiefs from member countries participated in the meeting, where they had constructive discussions on several key issues: combating drug-related challenges; maritime security and cybersecurity threats; improving information sharing across relevant security sectors; the current security situation in the region; preparing for potential security challenges; and identifying effective methods for addressing these issues.      

Successfully hosting the event not only strengthens the legitimacy of the State Administration Council government but also enhances cooperation with regional countries in the political, economic, and security sectors. The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss approaches for jointly combating armed conflicts and drug smuggling in the border areas. Representatives from Thailand, Bangladesh, and India, who are indeed the neighboring countries of Myanmar, participated in the discussions.  

The entire BIMSTEC region has a population of 1.8 billion and it has been accounted for 22 percent of the world's population. The combined GDP of the BIMSTEC countries is over 3.6 trillion USD. Although BIMSTEC is different from other organizations as it was established by countries with different culture, language and lifestyle, all member countries are actively participating in economic, social science and technology sectors for their mutual benefits as the saying goes, “Unity is Strength”. BIMSTEC member countries include countries that are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as countries that are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). And therefore, BIMSTEC can also be assumed as a connecting bridge of the two major associations in the region. 

Maritime Security Sector of BIMSTEC 

At the BIMSTEC 4th Summit in 2018, Indian Prime Minister Modi highlighted the importance of the maritime sector for socio-economic development and the future food security of the region and the importance of the Bay of Bengal as “our region's geographic location links global maritime trade routes and the Blue Economy is of particular importance to all of our economies.” Therefore, according to the importance of the role of maritime security in the Bay of Bengal, the role of the National Security Chiefs has included the maritime security sector and discussed and addressed it extensively.

 As the Bay of Bengal is directly adjacent to the five BIMSTEC member countries and provides access to the two remaining landlocked countries, Bhutan and Nepal, it offers opportunities to connect and create multi-sectoral cooperation across the entire Indian Ocean region, positioning the Bay of Bengal as the "Heart of BIMSTEC." While the Bay of Bengal has many opportunities for socio-economic development for BIMSTEC member countries, many conventional and non-conventional threats in there are also needed to be faced and overcame together. Port and trade routes security, fisheries protection and natural disaster management processes are included in coping with that. Efforts are being made to promote the maritime security sector, which is directly or indirectly supporting all seven areas of cooperation within the BIMSTEC organization, beyond normal security measures and into proactive cooperation activities that include diplomacy.

BIMSTEC is indeed elevating trade, investment and connectivity among member countries which leads to promoting regional economic development. In doing so, the Maritime Transport Agreement (MTA) would be able to sign at the BIMSTEC summit to be held in the near future and there would be good opportunities for mutual trade between the ports of member countries, and the flow of goods in the region would be rapidly improved by this agreement. Maritime trade among the member countries of the region, as well as opportunities to trade goods through Myanmar to the ASEAN countries and Asian countries, would also be flourished by centrally passing through the Bay of Bengal. Along with the development of maritime trade routes, the roles of navies in each respective country for maritime security would also become more important. Today, Myanmar Navy together with the navies of BIMSTEC countries are actively cooperating in Navy To Navy Staff Talks, CORPAT, Maritime Security Conclave, Maritime Security Exercise and other maritime security issues in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea within the Indian Ocean. 

BIMSTEC Towards Myanmar’s National Maritime Interests 

Myanmar has a great and solid basic for economic development through maritime trade as if the abundance of its natural resources, a reasonable population ratio, a long coastline and good ports can be used effectively. There are many fish resources, natural gas resources, also numerous highly valuable mineral resources beneath the shallow seabed of Myanmar together with great opportunities like presence of good ports like Kyauk Phyu and Dawei Deep Sea Port and being close to the world's trade routes. Moreover, there are very beautiful and attractive islands, underwater coral reefs, and many scuba diving sites with amazing underwater scenery for maritime or nautical tourism, so-called “smokeless industry”. Although the sea provides opportunities and interests for the respective countries, the waterways can become vulnerable entrances that can be easily penetrated by force in the absence of properly established defense measures for maritime security.

As everything that happens in the Bay of Bengal impacts Myanmar’s seas, it is closely related to the strategic importance of the Bay of Bengal. Therefore, it is crucial to seize the opportunity provided by the geographical advantage of being adjacent to both the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, which connect Asia and South Asia. Additionally, Myanmar serves as a land bridge, acting as an intermediary between ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries. To further develop the maritime trade sector, regional maritime networks must be connected, enabling communication between the ports of regional countries. This can be achieved by upgrading key port cities such as Sittwe and Kyauk Phyu on the Rakhine coast, Pathein and Yangon in the Delta region, and Mawlamyine, Dawei, Myeik, and Kawthaung on the Tanintharyi coast. Such development will reduce dependence on border trade, which is currently limited by security restrictions.

Today, eastern coast ports of India such as Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Chennai ports; Chittagong port of Bangladesh; Hanbantota port of Sri Lanka; Yangon, Pathein and Sittwe ports of Myanmar could be connected as a route for coastal shipping sector which all countries are the members of BIMSTEC in the Bay of Bengal. Although international maritime trades are conducted under the regulations of International Maritime Organization (IMO), Coastal Shipping Agreement is much simpler than the process of IMO which can be negotiated by bilateral consensus and new coastal maritime trade routes will be implemented quickly and simply. Therefore, a wish for Myanmar Navy, Myanmar Coast Guard and Maritime Police to actively involve in the maritime security sector while safeguarding maritime interests of the Bay of Bengal, which is connected to the Myanmar Sea together with the cooperation of BIMSTEC and to contribute to Myanmar’s national maritime interests by a guarantee for a safe and secure maritime domain.

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Myanmar hosted the 4th BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs’ Meeting successfully on 24-26 July.

Security chiefs of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, as well as member states of BIMSTEC, attended the meeting. During the meeting, the participants frankly discussed the matters pertaining to combatting terrorism and narcotics, challenges of maritime security and cyber security, practical cooperation in information sharing in relevant security affairs, ongoing security affairs in the regions, and preparations to be made to overcome the possible security-related challenges.

National security advisers who attended the meeting, have highly vested powers in their respective governments and are the policy makers for international relations and national security affairs. Hence, their attendance and constructive talks were highly conducive to the SAC Government. The SAC Government strengthened its legitimacy because of the successful completion of such Senior Officials’ Meeting in Myanmar. Again, the meeting also provided ample opportunity for political, economic, and security cooperation and diplomatic prestige.

In particular, since neighbouring countries like Thailand, Bangladesh, and India are BIMSTEC member states, the ways to address armed conflicts and combat drug-trafficking along the border areas in a collaborative manner could be discussed.

BIMSTEC is a strong regional organization which is regarded as a product of the convergence of Thailand’s Look West Policy, which seeks to strengthen economic relations with neighbouring countries and beyond, and India’s Look East Policy, which seeks to cultivate economic relations closely with the nations of Southeast Asia.

BIMSTEC came into being on 6 June 1997. It was initially known as BIST-EC (Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation) and was comprised of Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. With Myanmar joining on 22 December 1997, the organization was renamed BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand Economic Cooperation). Bhutan and Nepal became new members of

BIMSTEC in 2004. As of 2023, the BIMSTEC region is home to around 1.8 billion people, that is, nearly 22 per cent of the global population, with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of USD 3.6 trillion. BIMSTEC is also considered a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia. Through this, it is an important organization to link the East Asia Region.

The BIMSTEC Charter prescribes that cooperation within the BIMSTEC will be based on respect for the principle of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, non-aggression, peaceful co-existence, mutual respect and mutual benefit. It also states that all decisions will be based on the consensus.

BIMSTEC differs from other organizations, which are comprised of different countries with diverse societies, faiths, languages, and cultural heritage. All Member States are carrying out activities to promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social, technical and scientific fields.

BIMSTEC is working under four main mechanisms: Summit, Ministerial Meeting, Senior Officials’ Meeting and BIMSTEC Working Group Meeting.

It mainly aims to create collaboration for rapid economic and social development. Nonetheless, it comes to take into consideration not only traditional security threats but also nontraditional security threats due to geopolitics, transnational organized crimes, arms smuggling, and narcotics smuggling. It also focuses on maritime security because of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.

During the 4th BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs’ Meeting, the Member States discussed matters and shared experiences to prevent the spread of terrorism and violent extremism and eliminate illegal narcotics smuggling in the region under the theme “Regional countries’ cooperation in combatting terrorism and illegal narcotics”. The meeting gave means, opportunities and ideas for cooperation in counter-terrorism in the host country, Myanmar, as well as the region. It also explored collaborative ways to prevent nontraditional threats.

Myanmar geopolitically plays a vital role in links between ASEAN countries and South Asian ones. The successful completion of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs’ Meeting is an excellent movement for Myanmar in diplomatic relations and gave it the potential to trade promotion with the BIMSTEC Member States.

It had many opportunities for making border trade cooperation with India, which had 1.4 billion people in the West, rather than relying on China alone in the East. Again, it could seek ways to trade with Middle Eastern and European countries through India, the leading nation among BIMSTEC Member States.

BIMSTEC can link the cooperation between the two regional organizations as it comprises some Member Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Member States of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as well.

Myanmar’s neighbouring countries, Thailand and Laos, are in ASEAN Member States. Likewise, its neighbouring countries like Thailand, Bangladesh and India have joined the BIMSTEC. The neighbouring countries in BIMSTEC have a righteous attitude towards Myanmar. They have a balanced view and cooperation for mutual interests.

The active participation of the SAC Government, which is being blocked by diplomatic means, in BIMSTEC is very beneficial not only for BIMSTEC but also for Myanmar.

Since international terrorism and transnational crimes are posing threats to economic development and social progress in the BIMSTEC region, the meeting adopted policies and plans, including the exchange of information, to effectively combat terrorism and transnational crimes. In this regard, Myanmar is carrying out anti-narcotics measures.

Today, most global countries can no longer stand alone due to political, economic, social and security conditions. Only when it cooperates with another country or other countries will progress in the political, economic, social, and security sectors be achieved, and economic development will be made, too. Under these circumstances, regional organizations like BIMSTEC and ASEAN have been established to facilitate cooperation between the countries in the region.

Geographically, Myanmar, as a land connectivity between Southeast Asian and South Asian countries, can link a connection between BIMSTEC and ASEAN. I write this article stating that Myanmar is a unique country that can help combat terrorism in the security sector as well as eliminate narcotics and create not only the prospect but also a favourable environment for rapid economic development in the sub-region, the BIMSTEC’s vision.

Source- The Global New Light of Myanmar