New Delhi, July 1 -- Two recent developments-the U.S. decision to drop the word "Indo" from the nomenclature of the Indo-Pacific Command and China's growing involvement in the Mongla port area, viewed alongside the proposed Bangladesh-China-Myanmar (BCM) Corridor-appear to signal an expanding Chinese footprint in the Bay of Bengal.

While the Indo-Pacific concept has gained significant international traction over the past decade, the adjoining Bay of Bengal has simultaneously acquired increasing geopolitical and geostrategic importance. Owing to its economic potential, ecological significance, and rich cultural and historical linkages, the Bay has emerged as a dynamic space witnessing growing strategic, commercial and connectivity-related...