The two-day Sixth Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue took place at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo. It brought together regional experts, diplomats, researchers, and maritime practitioners to tackle critical challenges across the Bay of Bengal.
The event was co-hosted by Sri Lanka's Pathfinder Foundation and Switzerland's Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. Organisers stressed that this edition shifted focus from mere recommendations to actionable solutions.
Security, Cables and Regional Issues
Around a quarter of global maritime commerce travels through the Bay of Bengal, making it economically vital. However, the region faces rising worries like geopolitical rivalry, illegal fishing, environmental changes, and risks to critical undersea infrastructure.
Opening remarks came from Amb. (Retd.) Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of the Pathfinder Foundation, and Amb. (Retd.) Venu Rajamony of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. The session also featured BIMSTEC Secretary General H.E. Amb. Indra Mani Pandey, German Ambassador Dr. Felix Neumann, Indonesia's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs H.E. Arief Havas Oegroseno, and Pathfinder Foundation Founder Milinda Moragoda.
Turning Policy into Action
Discussions spanned maritime communications, crisis management, securing subsea cables, and managing shared spaces. Day two included a message from Australia's Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs, Hon. Tim Watts (MP), with a heavy focus on fisheries governance and reducing cross-border friction.
Under the session titled 'From Adoption to Action', participants joined breakout groups covering maritime security, inclusion, and data and science diplomacy to shape practical outcomes.
What happens next
The Dialogue will share its outcomes with regional organisations and the governments of the Bay of Bengal littoral states.
