NEW DELHI : The Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala, represented Sri
Lanka at the First BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting held in New Delhi, India, on 13
October 2026, reaffirming the country’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation
in addressing shared security challenges across the Bay of Bengal region.
The inaugural meeting, hosted by the Government of India under the chairmanship of Union
Home Minister Amit Shah, brought together representatives of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The meeting adopted the Delhi Declaration,
setting out strategic directions for enhanced regional cooperation in security and law
enforcement.
In his statement, Minister Wijepala underscored that security is fundamental to sustainable
economic and social development, emphasising the importance of enabling people to live in
peace, travel safely and conduct business in a secure environment.
Highlighting Sri Lanka’s approach to public security, the Minister outlined the Government’s
efforts to strengthen institutions, improve coordination among law enforcement agencies and
address crime through prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation. He emphasised the
importance of public confidence, community participation and protecting children and young
people from drugs, violence and exploitation.
Addressing illicit drugs, Minister Wijepala highlighted the cross-border nature of drug
trafficking and its links to organised criminal networks, international transport routes,
financial flows and modern communication technologies. He referred to Sri Lanka’s national
drug prevention programme, Ratama Ekata, and stressed the importance of integrating law
enforcement with prevention, rehabilitation and community engagement.
The Minister emphasised that national efforts alone were insufficient to address transnational
threats, calling for timely information-sharing, stronger institutional cooperation and practical
collaboration among BIMSTEC Member States. He also highlighted the need for cooperation
in combating cybercrime, financial crime, human trafficking, migrant smuggling and criminal
activities conducted through maritime routes, stressing that regional commitments must
translate into tangible outcomes through coordinated action and timely information-sharing.
The Delhi Declaration reaffirmed the commitment of BIMSTEC Member States to building
a connected, secure, resilient, developed and prosperous region. It recognised the
transnational nature of security challenges in the Bay of Bengal region and called for enhanced
cooperation against terrorism, violent extremism conducive to terrorism, drug trafficking,
human trafficking, money laundering, terrorist financing, cybercrime and transnational
organised crime. It also emphasised the effective implementation of existing BIMSTEC legal
instruments, the early finalisation of proposed conventions, enhanced information-sharing,
