New Delhi, Oct 13 (KNS): Seven BIMSTEC countries on Tuesday adopted the Delhi Declaration and approved five regional cooperation frameworks aimed at combating terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking and natural disasters at their first Home Ministers' meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The meeting, hosted by India in New Delhi, brought together representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand to strengthen security cooperation across South and Southeast Asia.

Addressing the gathering, Shah called for closer intelligence sharing, financial investigations, mutual legal assistance and extradition arrangements to prevent terrorist organisations and transnational criminal networks from exploiting gaps in regional security mechanisms.

He said member countries must ensure that their territories were not used as safe havens for terrorists or for recruitment, training, financing and activities directed against neighbouring countries.

Shah reiterated India's policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and identified drug control, counter-terrorism, repatriation of fugitives, cybersecurity and institutional capacity building as five priority areas for regional cooperation.

The Home Ministers approved the BIMSTEC Convention against Trafficking in Persons, which seeks to strengthen cooperation in preventing human trafficking, criminalising related offences and protecting and rehabilitating victims.

They also cleared a regional action plan against illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals.

A memorandum of understanding on capacity building to combat money laundering and terror financing was approved, providing for training, exchange of expertise, financial intelligence cooperation, investigations and asset recovery.

Another action plan focuses on identifying and preventing illicit financial flows among member countries, including the channels used to move proceeds from criminal activities.

The fifth framework covers disaster preparedness and coordination in the Bay of Bengal region, including joint exercises, early warning systems, disaster mapping, information sharing, research and tsunami risk reduction.

The Delhi Declaration reaffirmed the seven countries' commitment to addressing cross-border terrorism, radicalisation, organised crime, cybercrime and illicit financial transactions.

It also emphasised stronger cooperation on extradition, legal assistance and protection of human trafficking victims, including those exploited through online scams.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Speaking on narcotics trafficking, Shah said the problem required coordinated regional action rather than isolated national responses.

He warned that proceeds from drug trafficking could finance organised crime and terrorism, while the use of dark-web platforms and diversion of precursor chemicals had complicated enforcement efforts.

"Drug trafficking is essentially death trafficking," Shah said, calling for a "whole-of-region" approach to dismantle trafficking networks.

On disaster management, the Home Minister said the proposed BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre would be established in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

The centre, proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok in April 2025, is intended to strengthen regional disaster preparedness and emergency response capabilities.

Shah urged member countries to participate in making the proposed facility operational.

The meeting also discussed cooperation among police forces, intelligence agencies and border management authorities, with India offering to share expertise in police training, counter-terrorism operations and forensic investigations.

Shah said regional security challenges required sustained institutional coordination and practical mechanisms to implement decisions taken at the ministerial level.

"The security of one member state strengthens the security of the entire region," he said.

The meeting followed discussions among senior officials led by the Union Home Secretary, while Shah headed the Indian delegation at the ministerial session.

The decision to establish a BIMSTEC Home Ministers' mechanism was taken during the grouping's fourth summit in 2018, but Tuesday's meeting marked its first ministerial-level gathering dedicated to internal security cooperation.

BIMSTEC, which connects seven countries bordering or linked to the Bay of Bengal, serves as a regional platform for cooperation in economic development, connectivity, security and other sectors.

While the meeting approved the five cooperation frameworks and adopted the Delhi Declaration, the government statement did not specify timelines for implementing the agreements or operationalising the proposed disaster management centre. (KNS)