New Delhi [India], July 16 (ANI): National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday chaired the fifth BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs' meeting, hosting top-level intelligence and security officials from across the Bay of Bengal region to reinforce regional stability.

The high-level gathering brought together delegates from the seven member nations of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The delegates gathered for a joint family photo, with discussions centring on counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and strengthening regional maritime cooperation.

BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey attended the meeting along with delegations from all member countries.

Nepal was represented by Home Secretary Raj Kumar Shrestha.

Thailand's delegation was led by Chatchai Bangchaud, Secretary General of the National Security Council. Bangchaud had also held bilateral talks with NSA Doval on Wednesday, focusing on enhanced intelligence sharing and law enforcement cooperation.

Sri Lanka was represented by Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary at the Ministry of Defence.

Bangladesh's delegation was led by Dr Shamsul Islam, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and included Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M Riaz Hamidullah.

Myanmar was represented by Tin Aung San, Minister in the President's Office.

Bhutan's delegation comprised Home Secretary Sonam Wangyel and Bhutan's Ambassador to India, Major General Vetsop Namgyel.

Meanwhile, Doval underscored the need for closer regional cooperation to tackle evolving security challenges, saying the current global landscape marked by conflicts, geopolitical uncertainties and technological disruptions requires BIMSTEC member states to work together and take 'decisive actions' for their mutual benefit.

Addressing the fifth BIMSTEC National Security Advisers' Meeting, Doval said, 'We are meeting today in the backdrop of a challenging global landscape. We are witnessing conflicts and geopolitical uncertainties. We are also facing multi-domain security threats, amplified by rapid technological advancements. Disruptions in global supply chains have also resulted in economic hardship for all our countries.'

'In this setting, there's an urgent need for us to collaborate, take decisive actions for our mutual benefit, and find solutions to mutual discussions and deliberations to the vexed problems that we are all facing,' he added.

Highlighting the significance of the Bay of Bengal grouping, Doval said BIMSTEC unites two of the world's most dynamic regions and represents a population of 1.7 billion people, around 22 per cent of the global population, with a combined GDP of nearly USD 5 trillion.

'We are united by the Bay of Bengal, not just geographically, but also through deep civilizational and cultural legacies that have evolved over a millennium of shared history,' he said.

The NSA said BIMSTEC has built strong cooperation across multiple security sectors and has made significant progress in countering common threats. He said, 'Building on these unique bonds, BIMSTEC has been anchored in robust cooperation across a range of sectors on the foundations of a great past. We strive to achieve a great future, sharing prosperity and resilience for all our people. '

'We have advanced and strengthened cooperation in fighting terrorism, combating transnational organised crime, cyber threats, meeting maritime challenges, and we are poised to combat new and emerging threats together,' Doval said.

He stressed that BIMSTEC's long-standing goals of regional security, connectivity, capacity building and economic security should continue to guide the grouping's collective efforts. He said, 'BIMSTEC's long-standing goals of regional security, connectivity, capacity building, and economic security should continue to drive our collective efforts.'

BIMSTEC is a key regional organisation that was established on June 6, 1997, with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration. Initially known as BIST-EC (Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation), the organisation is now known as BIMSTEC and comprises seven Member States, with the admission of Myanmar on December 22 1997, and Bhutan and Nepal in February 2004. (ANI)