page_title: Countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal
section_title: Security and strategic importance
hierarchical_section_title: Countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal / Security and strategic importance
caption_attribution_description: English: 170717-N-JH929-821 BAY OF BENGAL (July 17, 2017) Ships from the Indian navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the U.S. Navy sail in formation in the Bay of Bengal during exercise Malabar 2017. Leading the formation are U.S Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (left), Indian Navy aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (middle) and a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ship (right). Malabar 2017 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises between the Indian navy, JMSDF and U.S. Navy that has grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Cole Schroeder/Released)
context_page_description: The countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal include littoral and landlocked countries that depend on the Bay of Bengal for maritime usage. Historically, the Bay of Bengal has been a highway of transport, trade and cultural exchange between diverse peoples encompassing South Asia and Southeast Asia. Today, the Bay of Bengal region is the convergence of two major geopolitical blocs- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation promotes regional engagement in the area.
  The Bay of Bengal countries are often categorized into a maritime subregion. The bay hosts vital shipping routes linking its littoral and landlocked hinterland with the Indian Ocean. Its sea bed is being explored and exploited for hydrocarbon reserves.
caption: Malabar 2017 in the Bay of Bengal
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