External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar Launches SHANTI Framework for Bay of Bengal Maritime Security Ahead of India's 2028‑29 UNSC Bid

Key Insight

SHANTI framework boosts India’s Bay of Bengal security ahead of its UNSC bid

Key Facts

1. 13 July 2026: मंत्री S. Jaishankar ने SHANTI (Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity) फ्रेमवर्क को उजागर किया।
2. SHANTI Bay of Bengal को लक्षित करता है – एक समुद्र जो India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand और Indonesia द्वारा साझा किया जाता है।
3. पहला संयुक्त BIMSTEC समुद्री सुरक्षा अभ्यास November 2026 में Bay of Bengal में निर्धारित है।
4. SHANTI SAGAR (2015) और MAHASAGAR (2025) के बाद भारत की समुद्री पहुँच में नवीनतम कदम है।
5. New Delhi में BIMSTEC राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा सलाहकारों ने SHANTI के तहत सामान्य समुद्री कानून‑प्रवर्तन और मानवीय‑सहायता सिद्धांत अपनाए।
6. BIMSTEC सदस्यों के बीच श्वेत‑शिपिंग सूचना‑साझाकरण प्रोटोकॉल के लिए बातचीत चल रही है।

Background

India’s maritime policy has moved from the development‑focused SAGAR (2015) to the broader security‑oriented MAHASAGAR (2025) and now to SHANTI, which adds a norms‑based cooperation layer. The Bay of Bengal’s vulnerability to cyclones, fisheries disputes and under‑sea cable threats makes it a natural laboratory for regional resilience, linking GS‑2 (regional groupings, maritime strategy) with GS‑1 (geography) and GS‑3 (blue economy, disaster management).

UPSC Syllabus

• Essay — International Relations and Geopolitics
• GS2 — Bilateral, regional and global groupings involving India
• GS2 — Government policies and interventions for development
• Essay — Economy, Development and Inequality
• GS3 — Disaster and disaster management
• Prelims_GS — International Current Affairs
• Prelims_GS — National Current Affairs
• GS3 — Cyber security and communication networks in internal security
• GS4 — Dimensions of ethics - private and public relationships
• GS4 — Ethical issues in international relations and funding

Mains Angle

In a GS‑2 answer, discuss how SHANTI reflects India’s evolving maritime strategy and its relevance to the 2028‑29 UNSC bid, highlighting regional cooperation, non‑traditional security and the shift from deterrence to resilience.