India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval called for urgent collaboration and decisive actions during a meeting of BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs in New Delhi.

The call for cooperation comes as regional stability faces pressure from shifting geopolitical dynamics and technological disruptions. This meeting serves as a critical coordination point for member states attempting to synchronize their security architectures against shared vulnerabilities.

During the fifth [1] BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs meeting, Doval said that member countries are facing escalating conflicts and geopolitical uncertainty. He said that multi-domain security threats have become more prevalent, necessitating a unified response from the regional bloc.

According to the National Security Adviser, these threats are amplified by rapid technological change and disrupted supply chains [2]. These factors, combined with ongoing regional conflicts, have created a volatile environment that requires a shift from passive monitoring to active collaboration [2].

"Urgent need for us to collaborate, take decisive actions," Doval said [3].

The discussions in New Delhi focused on the need for member states to move beyond theoretical cooperation. Doval said that the current security landscape is characterized by uncertainties that cannot be managed by any single nation in isolation [2].

BIMSTEC serves as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia, and the security meeting aimed to strengthen the operational ties between the national security apparatuses of its members. The focus remains on mitigating the risks posed by non-traditional security threats, and maintaining regional stability amid global volatility [3].

“"Urgent need for us to collaborate, take decisive actions"”

The emphasis on 'multi-domain' threats suggests that India and its BIMSTEC partners are increasingly concerned with security risks that cross physical and digital borders, such as cyberattacks and supply chain weaponization. By pushing for 'decisive actions,' India is signaling a move toward a more integrated regional security framework to counterbalance external geopolitical influences in the Bay of Bengal region.