11th BIMSTEC Counter-Terrorism Meeting Held in New Delhi

The 11th meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (JWG-CTTC) was held in New Delhi, India, on 28-29 September 2026. The Government of India hosted the meeting, and delegations from all seven BIMSTEC Member States attended it.

BIMSTEC and its Member States

BIMSTEC stands for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. Its seven Member States are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime

The JWG-CTTC is a BIMSTEC mechanism that deals with counter-terrorism and transnational crime. Its agenda includes human trafficking, illicit drug trafficking, anti-money laundering, legal and law enforcement issues, and countering radicalisation and terrorism.

Meeting Proceedings and Chairmanship

Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan, Additional Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs of India, chaired the meeting. The participants discussed traditional and emerging non-traditional security threats in the BIMSTEC region and made recommendations for cooperation against terrorism and transnational crimes.

Important Facts for Exams

• BIMSTEC was established in 1997 as a regional grouping around the Bay of Bengal.
• BIMSTEC has seven Member States and connects South Asia and South-East Asia.
• Counter-terrorism and transnational crime are part of BIMSTEC security cooperation.
• The 5th Meeting of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs was held in New Delhi on 16 July 2026.

Recent BIMSTEC Security Engagements

The 5th Meeting of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs was held in New Delhi on 16 July 2026. That meeting also covered counter-terrorism and organised crime.