Why in news
- India hosted the inaugural BIMSTEC Home Ministers Meeting in New Delhi, which concluded with the adoption of the landmark Delhi Declaration on regional security.
Key terms
BIMSTEC
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation comprising seven South and Southeast Asian nations.
Precursor Chemicals
Substances used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances subject to international regulation.
Delhi Declaration
Regional accord establishing action plans for counter-terrorism, anti-money laundering, and drug trafficking prevention under BIMSTEC.
Transnational Crime
Offences whose inception, prevention, or direct effects involve national boundaries across multiple state jurisdictions.
What is the BIMSTEC Security Architecture?
- Framework connecting seven South and Southeast Asian member nations along the Bay of Bengal littoral to address non-traditional security threats.
- Governed by the BIMSTEC Convention on Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking, which entered into force in March 2021.
Key Outcomes of the Delhi Declaration
- Adopted concrete Action Plans covering three priority domain areas: Human Trafficking, Narcotic Drugs and Precursor Chemicals, and Anti-Money Laundering.
- Reaffirmed zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism and commitment to countering radicalisation and terror financing under UN Charter standards.
Why it matters
- Formalises security cooperation as a core operational pillar of BIMSTEC alongside economic and transit connectivity.
- Strengthens maritime and border domain awareness across the Bay of Bengal region.
Prelims facts
- BIMSTEC Convention on Combating International Terrorism entered into force in March 2021.
Mains discussion
- Role of BIMSTEC security architecture in securing India's eastern maritime neighborhood and counter-terrorism coordination.
Source: PIB English
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