Bangladesh NSA meets Indian counterpart ahead of BIMSTEC security talks

Brigadier General (Retd) Dr. AKM Shamsul Islam, Prime Minister's Defence Adviser, held a bilateral meeting with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on July 15 in New Delhi. The meeting took place just before the fifth BIMSTEC National Security Advisers' Meeting, which India hosted on July 16.

Neither Bangladesh nor India has released official statements regarding the specifics of the bilateral discussion. The meeting's timing is notable, occurring while bilateral relations between the two nations remain strained. These tensions follow the ouster of the Awami League government during the July uprising in 2024.

Brigadier General Islam represented Bangladesh at the BIMSTEC meeting. According to a BIMSTEC statement issued on July 19, the delegates endorsed a set of guiding principles for maritime law enforcement agencies. These principles aim to enhance predictability and safety during maritime interactions among member states.

Ajit Doval chaired the BIMSTEC meeting, attended by national security advisers or their representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The focus of the broader meeting was on improving maritime security cooperation within the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).