At the first BIMSTEC home ministers' meeting in New Delhi, Amit Shah urged deeper regional action against terrorism, crime and cyber threats. His remarks pushed member states towards practical intelligence, legal and border cooperation across the region.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah. (Credits: PTI)
New Delhi,Oct 13, 2026 20:59 IST
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday called for stronger cooperation among BIMSTEC countries to fight terrorism, terror financing and organised crime, and to ensure that terrorist networks do not find a safe haven in the region.
Addressing the first home ministers' meeting of the grouping in New Delhi, he said member countries must work together more closely on security challenges that affect the region.
Shah said India follows a policy of 'Zero Tolerance' towards terrorism and urged greater cooperation in dealing with terrorism, cross-border organised crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking and emerging cyber threats.
He said the partnership within BIMSTEC is built on the belief that each member country's security arrangements should also contribute to the security of the others.
He identified five priority areas for cooperation: drug control; counter-terrorism and legal cooperation; repatriation of fugitive criminals; cybersecurity and cybercrime investigations; and institutional cooperation and capacity building.
Shah said there is a need for a coordinated regional approach to tackle illicit financial transactions and terror financing. He also called for a collective resolve to prevent terrorist networks from finding shelter, setting up bases and training facilities, mobilising resources, or carrying out activities against other member countries.
Highlighting counter-terrorism and law enforcement as key areas, Shah called for the exchange of actionable intelligence through existing nodal agencies and greater coordination to combat terror financing and organised crime.
According to a government statement, he stressed the importance of timely intelligence sharing, financial investigations, mutual legal assistance and extradition to ensure that criminals and terrorists are brought to justice.
He urged all member countries to cooperate in mutual legal assistance and extradition in line with their national laws and applicable agreements.
He also stressed the need to strengthen cooperation among law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies and border management agencies. In his address to home ministers and senior officials, Shah said member countries should translate cooperation into practical mechanisms that strengthen citizens' safety and improve the capabilities of their agencies.
On narcotics smuggling, Shah said it cannot be stopped by one country acting alone. "We must adopt a whole-of-region approach. The illegal proceeds from drugs provide financial strength to organised crime and are also used for terrorist financing. The diversion of precursor chemicals and transactions through the dark web make this challenge even more complex," he said.
He added that India believes drug trafficking is essentially "death trafficking" and said there is nothing "golden" about the trafficking of narcotics, referring to the Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle.
He said this is not merely the drug trade, but an attack on the lives of the youth, society, culture and the future of coming generations.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, or BIMSTEC, comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The grouping aims to promote economic and technical cooperation among countries bordering the Bay of Bengal and in its neighbourhood. Shah also described disaster management cooperation across the BIMSTEC region as one of his highest priorities and recalled that at the 6th Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed setting up a "BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre" in India.
He said the centre is planned to be established in Jamnagar in Gujarat and added, "This initiative underscores India's exemplary role as a 'first responder' in the field of disaster management across the entire region," while urging member countries to actively participate in making the proposed centre operational.
In sum, Shah's address focused on closer regional action across security, legal cooperation, cyber threats, narcotics control and disaster management, with a strong push for practical coordination among BIMSTEC countries.
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