Recent developments in maritime Asia have forced Delhi to re-examine its naval priorities.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), founded in 1997, can help reconnect one of the world’s least integrated regions.

There appears to be a need for greater cooperation in the maritime domain in the Bay of Bengal, given the increasing rivalries in the region.

While trade liberalization and transportation infrastructure should remain BIMSTEC’s key priorities, the Bay of Bengal will not re-emerge as a regional space unless there are significant investments to foster people to people exchanges.

Beyond its economic potential and strategic significance, the Bay of Bengal distinguishes itself globally by abysmal levels of integration, reflecting a deep divide between South and Southeast Asia.

The resolution of many outstanding maritime territorial disputes and the tentative steps for political and security cooperation in the region provide the basis for imagining a Bay of Bengal community that will benefit all the peoples of the region.

India and other countries around the Bay of Bengal should invest greater resources in the multilateral institution BIMSTEC to promote regional connectivity and shared prosperity.

Carnegie India, in partnership with the India Development Foundation, hosted a seminar to review Indo-Japanese economic and security cooperation in the region, and identify new possibilities for developing regional connectivity corridors and strengthening maritime security in the Bay of Bengal.

Having drawn up the intent and will to develop the Andamans, New Delhi will now have to build its smart islands with cooperation from its maritime partners. The strategic development of these islands is no longer an option but a necessity.

The idea of Bay of Bengal as a multilateral, strategic, and economic community has engendered multiple narratives around the bay.

Economically reintegrating the Bay of Bengal is a promising way for India and other nearby states to enhance their prosperity. Doing so will require government-led coordination and private investment.

Religious tourism, maritime and air connectivity, power grid links, and energy security can boost connectivity between India and Sri Lanka.