Unlocking Sri Lanka's Maritime & Regional Strategy via BIMSTEC 🚢📈

• Strategic Alignment: BIMSTEC Secretary General Ambassador Indramani Pandey highlighted key collaboration areas with Sri Lanka, focusing on maritime affairs & blue economy, disaster mitigation, food security, counter-terrorism, and anti-money laundering. • Private Sector & Policy Integration: Following the launch of the Ceylon Chamber of Shipping (CCS), discussions emphasized establishing a structured BIMSTEC–Sri Lanka maritime dialogue. Ambassador Pandey expressed interest in formal engagement with CCS during his November 2026 visit. • Knowledge Infrastructure & Think Tanks: The dialogue underscored the need for a robust policy ecosystem in Sri Lanka, urging the private sector to invest in think tanks—drawing lessons from India's Pune International Centre model—to bridge academic research, economic policy, and governance. • National Focus: Sri Lanka's engagement with BIMSTEC must transcend foreign diplomacy, integrating into a broader national strategy that leverages shipping, maritime connectivity, and soft power to shape regional Indian Ocean dynamics.