First BIMSTEC naval drill begins in the Andaman Islands
Seven countries around the Bay of Bengal have begun their first joint naval security exercise, hosted by India in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise opened on Friday, 30 October, at Sri Vijaya Puram, the island capital formerly known as Port Blair. Ships and teams from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand are taking part, while Bhutan and Nepal — both landlocked — have sent representatives instead.
India is hosting the drill through its Andaman and Nicobar Command, the country’s first joint command of the army, navy and air force. Its chief, Vice Admiral Vineet McCarthy, opened the exercise on Friday, alongside senior delegations from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka and India’s National Maritime Security Coordinator, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta.
The programme starts with three days of tabletop planning, followed by a two-day harbour phase with ships from the member countries. It is due to run until 3 November. The drill aims to improve how the seven countries watch their shared waters, work together at sea, respond to disasters, tackle maritime crime and deal with oil and chemical spills.
Why it matters
BIMSTEC — the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation — was built for trade and development, not defence. This is the first time its members have drilled together at sea, turning shared promises about maritime security into joint practice.
The Bay of Bengal is a busy trade route between South and South-East Asia, carrying goods and energy that the region depends on. Safer waters matter for shipping, fishing and disaster relief, and the exercise also tests how the countries would respond together to threats at sea, including terrorism.
What happens next
The harbour phase runs into next week, after which the navies will judge what worked and what needs closer coordination. The exercise was one of the ideas put forward by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the group’s sixth summit in Bangkok, so more joint maritime work is likely to follow if this first drill goes well.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://dailykiran.com/india-hosts-first-bimstec-maritime-security-exercise-in-andaman-and-nicobar-islands/ (Daily Kiran, 31 October 2026)
- https://hiindia.com/anc-geared-up-to-host-maiden-bimstec-maritime-security-exercise/ (hi INDiA / IANS, 29 October 2026)
- https://www.nationpress.com/national/first-bimstec-naval-drill-starts-oct-30-in-anc (Nation Press, 30 October 2026)
