Pakistan Navy is gearing up for the eighth edition of the multi-national maritime exercise, AMAN-2023 in the Indian Ocean region and the Arabain Sea from 10-14 February 2023. According to the official press release of the Pakistan Navy, more than 50 Navies with modern Naval ships, aircraft, Special Ops Forces/EOD, Marines, and observers from across the world will participate in the activity. As said, the exercise would include seminars, operational discussions, and demonstrations at Karachi harbor followed by the sea phase, which would comprise of tactical maneuvers and sea-based exercises related to maritime security such as anti-piracy and counter-terrorism, search and rescue, gunnery firings, and air defense missions.
Pakistan Navy has always remained at the forefront during times of natural calamities and foreign aggression despite its small size and nominal resources with respect to vast areas of responsibility and multidimensional challenges. Pakistan’s Naval fleet is committed to protecting the Sea boundaries of Pakistan, ensuring the Security of Sea lines of Communication, protecting Pakistan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Counter-Piracy operations within the area of responsibility, Curb drug, and human trafficking, along with endeavors for to comprehend a dream for a blue economy within its jurisdiction. Meanwhile, the construction of Gwadar Deep Seaport and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) also bring about new challenges and opportunities for the Pakistan Navy, which was the sole guarantor for the security of crucial global energy routes in and around Pakistan’s territorial waters.
Pakistan has a staunch enemy on its Eastern border while the ongoing rivalry between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific region along with an all-time high tension between Iran and western allies in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman has created great challenges for Pakistan Navy, which is effectively tackling all challenges despite meager resources and reduced manpower. Pakistan Navy has always maintained a kinetic operational preparedness through periodic Naval exercises, firepower drills, and bilateral and multilateral exercises along with frequent tours of its warships to friendly nations for training and experience-sharing purposes to fully stand up to the newest challenges in the maritime domain. Although Pakistan has no offensive designs agaisnt any nation, however its ground, air, and Sea forces are ever ready to thwart any miscalculated action of any foreign aggressor. With such a war manifesto, the nation is fully supporting Pakistan Navy, which is endeavoring hard to nullify all ill designs to ensure AMAN (Peace) in Pakistan’s territorial waters at all costs.
