Maiden BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise Culminates Under Andaman and Nicobar Command

KOCHI: The maiden BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise successfully concluded at Sri Vijaya Puram on November 03, 2026. Held from October 30 to November 03, 2026, under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC)—India’s only operational quad-service command led by Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty—the landmark exercise marks a major milestone in strengthening regional maritime collaboration across the Bay of Bengal.

The exercise saw active participation from naval vessels across BIMSTEC member states, including Indian Naval Ships INS Taragiri, INS Karmuk, and INS Saryu, Myanmar Navy Ship UMS King Aung Zeya, and Sri Lanka Navy Ship SLNS Gajabahu. Key leadership in attendance included H.E. Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General of BIMSTEC; Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (Retd), National Maritime Security Coordinator; Rear Admiral Kyaw Kyaw Htoo, Commander, Central Naval Command, Myanmar Navy; Air Vice Marshal MDR Prasad (Retd), Director, Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, Sri Lanka; and Capt. Mohammad Monzurul Islam, Commanding Officer, BNS Prottoy, Bangladesh.

Executed in alignment with the Delhi Declaration and the outcomes of the 4th BIMSTEC Experts Group Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation, the five-day exercise encompassed comprehensive harbour interactions at Sri Vijaya Puram followed by tactical sea-phase manoeuvres from November 02 to 03. The successful event establishes a strong foundation for institutionalizing joint maritime security and operational interoperability under the BIMSTEC framework.