Five warships from three BIMSTEC countries took part in the first BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise, which ended at Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 3 November 2026.
The exercise ran from 30 October to 3 November under the Andaman and Nicobar Command, India's only operational tri-service command. The ships were INS Taragiri, INS Karmuk and INS Saryu from India, UMS King Aung Zeya of the Myanmar Navy and SLNS Gajabahu of the Sri Lanka Navy.
Who attended
Guests included BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey, National Maritime Security Coordinator Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (Retd), Rear Admiral Kyaw Kyaw Htoo of the Myanmar Navy, a Sri Lankan Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation official and the commanding officer of Bangladesh's BNS Prottoy.
The two phases
The harbour phase had high-level engagements, professional interactions and cultural exchanges. The sea phase, off Sri Vijaya Puram on 2 and 3 November, involved coordinated maritime deployments and joint activities.
The Defence Ministry says the exercise followed the spirit of the Delhi Declaration and the outcomes of the 4th BIMSTEC Experts Group Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation, held in November 2025. It describes it as a step towards institutionalising maritime engagement among BIMSTEC members.
Photos
Source: official release by the Ministry of Defence, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (06 NOV 2026 6:13PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: CULMINATION OF THE MAIDEN BIMSTEC MARITIME SECURITY EXERCISE AT ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR COMMAND.
How we verified this
VerifiedEvery fact, figure and quotation is taken from the official PIB release (Release ID 2333721) issued by the Ministry of Defence on 06 NOV 2026 6:13PM by PIB Delhi; checked against the source on publication. Story written by BDT from that release; no outside facts added.
Sources
- 1.CULMINATION OF THE MAIDEN BIMSTEC MARITIME SECURITY EXERCISE AT ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR COMMAND — Press Information Bureau, Government of India
