Overview: I was the lead author on this policy breif for Stable Seas. The Bay of Bengal region is confronted by a complex set of maritime security challenges that are deeply interlinked: coastal economic fragility, governance shortfalls, widespread illicit maritime activity, and limited enforcement capacity. The research asserts that achieving sustainable maritime security in the region will depend on coordinated, multi-dimensional responses — ideally led by regional frameworks such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi‑Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

• Coastal Economies Under Strain
  Many littoral states around the Bay of Bengal show pronounced economic and infrastructure deficits in coastal zones – including limited access to stable livelihoods, social services, and resilience to environmental stressors. These weaknesses leave coastal populations and maritime-dependent communities especially vulnerable to exploitation.
• Governance and Legal Gaps
  Maritime law-enforcement and governance in the region suffer from systemic issues such as corruption, political exclusion, weak institutional capacity, and incomplete judicial follow-through. These structural deficits reduce public trust, hamper coordinated law-enforcement efforts, and create space for actors operating outside the formal system.
• Illicit Maritime Activity
  Although high-profile piracy incidents may have declined, the Bay of Bengal continues to see a range of illicit maritime activities: smuggling of goods and people, illegal/unreported/unregulated (IUU) fishing, unsafe migration routes, and other crimes that exploit the region’s large, porous maritime zones and weak surveillance regimes.
• Enforcement & Regional Coordination
  Many states in the Bay of Bengal region lack sufficient maritime assets and face budgetary or institutional constraints. Regional cooperation mechanisms exist, but they are often under-resourced, fragmented, or not consistently implemented — limiting their effectiveness in addressing transnational maritime challenges.

Bottom Line: The maritime security situation in the Bay of Bengal is fundamentally shaped by structural vulnerabilities in coastal resilience, governance, enforcement capacity, and regional coordination. A durable solution will require strengthening institutions, investing in inclusive coastal development, and enhancing regional cooperation — bringing together economic, governance and security dimensions in a cohesive strategy.