COLOMBO (News 1st): Sri Lanka will host the 6th BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs’ Meeting in 2027.The announcement came as Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) represented Sri Lanka at the 5th BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs’ Meeting held in New Delhi, India.Addressing the high-level gathering, the Defence Secretary reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening regional security cooperation and emphasized that safeguarding the security of the Bay of Bengal region is a shared responsibility that requires mutual trust, sustained dialogue and coordinated action among BIMSTEC member states.Highlighting the evolving security landscape, he noted that terrorism, violent extremism, cyber threats, transnational organized crime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, misinformation and climate-related disasters continue to transcend national borders and therefore demand collective responses.He stressed that no country can effectively address these challenges in isolation and called for stronger regional collaboration to confront emerging threats.The Defence Secretary described BIMSTEC as an increasingly important bridge between South and Southeast Asia, playing a vital role in promoting regional peace, stability and sustainable development.He urged member states to move beyond dialogue and focus on concrete action by strengthening intelligence and information-sharing mechanisms, enhancing cooperation against transnational crime and cyber threats, improving humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities, and deepening collaboration among regional institutions.He further emphasized that lasting security is built not only through stronger borders but also through stronger partnerships grounded in trust, shared responsibility and common purpose.Reiterating Sri Lanka’s long-standing commitment to regional cooperation, the Defence Secretary said the true strength of BIMSTEC lies in transforming geographical proximity into strategic solidarity, enabling member states to collectively build a peaceful, resilient and prosperous Bay of Bengal region for future generations.The meeting brought together national security chiefs and senior security officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand to discuss shared security challenges and opportunities for enhanced cooperation across the region.
