India hosted the first-ever meeting of BIMSTEC Home Ministers in New Delhi on Tuesday, bringing together the seven-nation grouping for a day of talks that ended with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration and approval of five regional security initiatives.
The meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by delegations from all seven member states — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. A senior officials' meeting led by the Union Home Secretary preceded the ministerial session.
Delhi Declaration sets the agenda
The Declaration commits the grouping to stronger regional cooperation against terrorism, terror financing, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime and organised crime — reflecting a shared assessment that these challenges cross borders and demand coordinated responses.
Five security initiatives were approved at the meeting: a BIMSTEC Convention against trafficking in persons; a plan of action on drug control covering narcotics, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals; a memorandum of understanding on capacity building against money laundering and terror financing; a plan of action on illicit financial flows; and a plan of action for disaster preparedness in the Bay of Bengal region.
Shah names five priority areas
Outlining India's approach, Shah listed five priority areas for the grouping: drug control; counter-terrorism and legal cooperation; repatriation of fugitive criminals; cyber-security and cybercrime investigations; and institutional cooperation and capacity building. He described drug trafficking as "essentially death trafficking" and reiterated India's zero-tolerance stance toward terrorism.
India also proposed setting up a BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and offered to share expertise in police training, counter-terrorism and forensic science with partner countries.
The decision to hold Home Ministers' meetings was taken at the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's offer to host the first such meeting at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on April 4, 2025.
Sources:
- India hosts first BIMSTEC Home Ministers' meeting, Delhi Declaration adopted (Indian Express)
- BIMSTEC Home Ministers approve five regional security initiatives, adopt Delhi Declaration (ANI via Lokmat Times)
The meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by delegations from all seven member states — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. A senior officials' meeting led by the Union Home Secretary preceded the ministerial session.
Delhi Declaration sets the agenda
The Declaration commits the grouping to stronger regional cooperation against terrorism, terror financing, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime and organised crime — reflecting a shared assessment that these challenges cross borders and demand coordinated responses.
Five security initiatives were approved at the meeting: a BIMSTEC Convention against trafficking in persons; a plan of action on drug control covering narcotics, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals; a memorandum of understanding on capacity building against money laundering and terror financing; a plan of action on illicit financial flows; and a plan of action for disaster preparedness in the Bay of Bengal region.
Shah names five priority areas
Outlining India's approach, Shah listed five priority areas for the grouping: drug control; counter-terrorism and legal cooperation; repatriation of fugitive criminals; cyber-security and cybercrime investigations; and institutional cooperation and capacity building. He described drug trafficking as "essentially death trafficking" and reiterated India's zero-tolerance stance toward terrorism.
India also proposed setting up a BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and offered to share expertise in police training, counter-terrorism and forensic science with partner countries.
The decision to hold Home Ministers' meetings was taken at the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's offer to host the first such meeting at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on April 4, 2025.
Sources:
- India hosts first BIMSTEC Home Ministers' meeting, Delhi Declaration adopted (Indian Express)
- BIMSTEC Home Ministers approve five regional security initiatives, adopt Delhi Declaration (ANI via Lokmat Times)
