
Security Chiefs’ BIMSTEC Meeting, Delhi, 2026: Securing Supply Chains and Multi-Domain Defence
On 6th June, 1997, BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand) was created as a regional organization via the Bangkok Declaration (Shetty, 2026). It advanced into what today is known as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) when Myanmar was admitted in December 1997, and Bhutan and Nepal in February 2004 (Shetty, 2026). BIMSTEC is a regional organization formed by seven member states - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. Through this organization, all these countries that are located in the waters and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal represent their lineal unity in the region.






