Daily Times

The Indian Ocean is the third largest oceanic divisions of the world, covering about 20 percent of the water on the Earth’s surface. It provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and North and South America. It carries heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oil fields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and Western Australia. An estimated 40 percent of the world’s offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. The sea lanes in the Indian Ocean are considered among the most strategically important in the world with more than 80 percent of the world’s seaborne trade transits coming through the Indian Ocean and its vital choke points. About 40 percent passes through the Strait of Hormuz, 35 percent through the Strait of Malacca and eight percent through the Bab el-Man dab.

Pakistan, especially the Gwadar port occupies strategic location overlooking the Strait of Hormuz and the North Arabian Sea. All of oil imports and 95 percent of Pakistani trade takes place through the sea because it is the cheapest mode of transportation. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will further increase the cargo handling at Gwadar. Therefore Pakistan is one of the important stake holders in the Indian Ocean security frame work, whether it is piracy, maritime terrorist activities, gun running, human or narco traficking.  Admiral Z. M. Abbasi, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) in his address to the last commissioning officers parade has said that, “Pakistan Navy on its part is maintaining arobust security posture along the Pakistan coast and in the regional seas to deter nefarious elements from illicit activities in the maritime domain.”The Institution of Regional Maritime Security Patrols (RMSP) in the Indian Ocean region in line with UN Convection on Law of the Sea was also announced by the CNS. The Pakistan Navy (PN) has been actively participating in the Combine Task Forces 150 and 151 in the larger interest of international community   and regional maritime security. The PN has provided assistance at the high seas to the vessels in distress, seized contraband band shipment and humanitarian assistance to the regional countries on several occasions.  In addition PN participates in other international forums such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and Western Pacific Naval Symposium .Besides, conducts bilateral and multilateral exercises with regional and extra regional countries. To strengthen the friendly relations naval ships and submarines visit friendly countries on flag showing missions.

The exercises at sea were aimed to enhance tactical proficiency, develop common tactics and techniques to counter asymmetric threats

To promote peace and harmony in the Indian Ocean region, PN had launched an initiative in 2007 in the shape of Multinational exercise “AMAN-07′ literally meaning “Peace”. It was held in March 2007 in which 28 countries participated with ships aircraft or observers. A total fourteen ships, from China, USA, UK, France, Italy, Malaysia, Australia and Bangladesh participated. In addition Special Operation Forces (SOF) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams from Turkey and Bangladesh also took part. Moreover 21 countries sent their observers. All the participating navies had the common objective of ensuring peace and freedom in maritime arena to provide safe and un interrupted flow of trade. The exercises at sea were aimed to enhance tactical proficiency, develop common tactics and techniques to counter asymmetric threats. This was also the first time the Chinese Navy participated in such an International event. After successfully achieving the desired objectives, Pakistan Navy decided to make it a biennial event. Since 2007 five Amman exercises have been conducted. The sixth will be conducted from 8 to 12 Feb 19.The objectives are, projecting positive image of Pakistan as a country contributing towards regional peace and stability, display united resolve against terrorism and crimes in maritime domain, develop collation building and multi-layer security cooperation to promote  a safe and sustainable maritime environment, enhance tactical interoperability between regional and extra regional navies there by acting as a bridge between the regions and last but not the least validating response, tactics , techniques and procedures to counter nontraditional threats in maritime domain. The logo is “Together for Peace”. About 40 Navies will be participating including, extra regional like, USA, UK, Russian Federation, China and Italy. During the harbor phase, three days International Maritime Conference will be organized by National Center for Maritime Policy Research (NCMPR) which is the constituent unit of National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) Islamabad. The topic is “Global Geopolitics in Transition; Rethinking Maritime Dynamics in the Indian Ocean”. About fourteen eminent scholars, expert in the maritime field from USA, Canada, UK, China, Russian Federation, Republic of Maldives, Sri Lanka, Romania, Turkey, Iran and Denmark in addition to erudite scholars from Pakistan will read their papers and interact with the learned audience from Pakistan and the delegates of visiting Navies. Recommendations of the conference will be disseminated to the concerned government departments.

The mega exercise organised by Pakistan substantiates the abundant confidence in PN by the extra regional and regional navies, and improved security environments in Pakistan. It also specifies that Pakistan enjoys a very respectable status in the comity of nations.

Published in Daily Times, February 9^th 2019.