NOVEMBER 2017 ISSUE NO. 208 BIMSTEC @ 20 Common Responses to Maritime Security Threats in the Bay of Bengal GAYATHRI IYER ABSTRACT The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) appears to be gaining momentum in formulating collective strategies to combat non-traditional security threats in the subregion. This brief describes how BIMSTEC had focused on bilateralism or trilateralism from its inception in 1997 until 2015, thereby failing to pursue a more comprehensive and long-term approach to addressing the common threats to their security. This changed in December 2016, when India brought together BIMSTEC members to address the challenge multilaterally at the joint BRICS–BIMSTEC Outreach Summit in Goa. The BIMSTEC Leaders’ Retreat 2016 Outcome Document signed at the Summit vowed to take concrete measures to step up cooperation among law enforcement, intelligence and security organisations of the members to meet the challenge of international terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation. The national security chiefs of the BIMSTEC member countries then met in 2017 to outline specific steps for cooperation to increase maritime security in the region. INTRODUCTION The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful Technical and Economic Cooperation co-existence, and mutual benefit.1 It brings (BIMSTEC) was conceived in 1997 as a sector- together five South Asian Association for driven cooperative organisation, based on Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries respect for the principles of sovereign equality, (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri territorial integrity, political independence, Lanka) and two Association of South East Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is a public policy think-tank that aims to influence formulation of policies for building a strong and prosperous India. ORF pursues these goals by providing informed and productive inputs, in-depth research, and stimulating discussions. ISBN 978-93-87407-10-7 © 2017 Observer Research Foundation. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, archived, retained or transmitted through print, speech or electronic media without prior written approval from ORF. Common Responses to Maritime Security Threats in the Bay of Bengal Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries (Myanmar purposes, such as the promotion of cooperation and Thailand).While the other five countries to ensure the security of waterways, and have extensive coastlines, Nepal and Bhutan fighting organised crime, piracy and drug are landlocked within the Indian sub- trafficking.4 However, the current state of continent. However, both are located at the affairs of regional multilateralism in South head of rivers emerging from the Himalayas to Asia and neighbouring regions is that each join the rivers Ganges and Brahmaputra in country fends for itself, and cooperation is only India, which flow into the Bay through bilateral or trilateral, not multilateral.5 Bangladesh. They are thus integral to the study In the absence of a comprehensive and of inter-linkages between the Himalayan and long-term approach by BIMSTEC members the Bay of Bengal ecological systems and have a to enhance traditional and non-traditional key role to play in human security in the region maritime security in the Bay of Bengal in the context of Humanitarian Assistance and subregion, extra-regional powers have Disaster Relief (HADR) initiatives.2 acquired a fair amount of naval presence in 6 The BIMSTEC members cooperate in 14 these waters. The Bay is largely calm but priority sectors, with each country leading one because it lacks a security architecture led by a or more sectors. India leads four sectors— local superpower, the naval risk reduction 7 Counterterrorism and Transnational Crime; measures in it lack an institutional framework. Telecommunication and Transport; Tourism; In 2016, India invited the BIMSTEC and Environment and Natural Disaster nations to a joint Outreach Summit with the Management. Bangladesh leads Trade and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Investment, and Climate Change. Myanmar Africa) nations. The BIMSTEC Outcome leads Energy and Agriculture. Thailand leads Document was signed by member countries to Fisheries, Public Health and People-to-People “outline the specific steps to strengthen the contact. Sri Lanka leads Technology, while legal framework to strengthen cooperation Nepal and Bhutan lead Poverty Alleviation and against international terrorism, transnational Culture, respectively. organised crime and drug trafficking”.8 The In ‘India’s Approach to Asia: Strategy, BRICS–BIMSTEC Outreach Summit was Geopolitics and Responsibility’, Namrata followed by the first meeting of national Goswami takes up four case studies relating to security chiefs of BIMSTEC member states in four regional organisations: South Asian New Delhi in March 2017. At this meeting, the Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), member states “underscored the importance the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), the of recognising the Bay of Bengal as common Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC), and security space and agreed to work out BIMSTEC, in the period between 1978 and collective strategies for common responses”.9 2015.3 Goswami’s research shows a lack of They considered setting up a BIMSTEC multilateralism in the South Asian region with Himalayan Science Council “to bring together overlapping memberships and objectives of scientific institutions to study the health of these different organisations. It highlights how, the ecological systems and their impact on in theory, BIMSTEC could serve numerous human security”.10 2 ORF ISSUE BRIEF No. 208 l NOVEMBER 2017 Common Responses to Maritime Security Threats in the Bay of Bengal The Track 1.5 BIMSTEC Security Dialogue Straits, extra-regional powers have been active Forum was created at the 2017 meeting. It met in the Bay of Bengal with a fair amount of naval again in India in September 2017 at the presence. Since the 1960s, the most prominent Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses among them have been the UK, the US, the (IDSA) in New Delhi and initiated multilateral erstwhile Soviet Union (now Russia), and more cooperation in a wide variety of areas. recently, China, Japan and Australia. India’s Navy is the largest resident navy in the Bay; it This brief aims to: has a much larger presence than the others Ÿ Understand the need for an institutional from outside the region through its framework for maritime security and establishments in the Andaman and Nicobar naval risk reduction in the common islands. security space of the Bay of Bengal; The Bay waters are patrolled by local and Ÿ Highlight the magnitude of the common extra-regional navies mainly due to their non-traditional maritime security threats proximity to the Straits of Malacca. With the in the Bay; rise of South Asian and South East Asian Ÿ Examine the increased need for sub- economies, the increase in trade between regional cooperation; and South Asia and South East Asia, and the Ÿ Present BIMSTEC’s relevance in working building of large seaports and Special towards regional multilateral cooperation Economic Zones (SEZs) by China and India in for common responses to maritime the littorals of the Bay of Bengal, the Bay region security threats. itself has now assumed geostrategic importance among regional and extra-regional 13 TRADITIONAL MARITIME SECURITY players. THREATS IN THE BAY OF BENGAL Data released by the International Chamber Traditional maritime security threats include Of Commerce (ICC) and International piracy, threats to sea-lanes of communication Maritime Bureau (IMB) in 2015 reveals that (SLOC) and military presence and competition incidents of sea piracy in the South East Asia 14 in a maritime region which could shift the region exceeded those in the Somalian region. balance of power.11 Somali pirates accounted for four percent of global activity in 2014, while Indonesia and The Bay of Bengal is a strategically located Bangladesh accounted for approximately 30 maritime resource north of the Straits of percent of the total attacks on vessels in 2014.15 Malacca. The Straits of Malacca is one of the The ICC and IMB rated Bangladesh’s most important shipping lanes in the world, Chittagong the world’s most dangerous port.16 carrying about one-fourth of the world’s traded goods, including Chinese manufactured Most of the efforts to tackle the subregion’s products and about a quarter of all the oil traditional maritime security threats have carried by sea from the Persian Gulf to various been through naval deployments, using economies.12 Due to the Bay’s proximity to the bilateral and trilateral engagements.17 ORF ISSUE BRIEF No. 208 l NOVEMBER 2017 3 Common Responses to Maritime Security Threats in the Bay of Bengal Shivshankar Menon, formerly India’s National withdraw from oil exploration in the Security Advisor and currently Visiting Fellow disputed waters21 after China intervened. at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), 22 Ÿ After its standoff with Bangladesh, Singapore, writes: “The maritime order in the Myanmar assumed an outward-oriented Indian Ocean is largely calm at present, but for naval security posture to protect its fortuitous reasons rather than by design. If this growing offshore oil and gas assets and fragile and deceptive calm is to be preserved in trade routes in the Sittwe and Dawei the future, action must be taken, whilst a SEZs.23 This was in contrast to its