Climate security and militaries in the Bay of Bengal region: Climatization through humanitarian assistance and disaster relief

Militaries play an integral role in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the Bay of Bengal region, where climate-induced disasters have grown manifold. They are involved in HADR activities nationally and regionally. This article explores the key contextual conditions shaping military involvement in HADR through the lens of climatization – understood as the integration of climate change into military strategies and security practices – and its implications. Empirically, it focuses on the littoral countries – Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. This article argues that climate security risks are increasingly reflected in military strategies and regional mechanisms in the Bay of Bengal region, with the embedding of HADR operations and exercises within national security frameworks and regional geopolitical agendas.