KARACHI: The five-day multinational maritime exercise Aman-23 is going to begin on Friday (tomorrow), announced Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami on Wednesday.

“The eighth edition of the exercise with the motto ‘Together for Peace’ is scheduled to be held this year from Feb 10 to 14, involving participation of over 50 countries with ships, aircrafts, Special Operation Forces/ EOD Marines teams and observers,” he said at a media briefing held at PNS Jauhar here.

He said: “The exercise is divided into two phases: harbour and sea. The harbour phase involves activities such as seminars, operational discussions, professional demonstrations, international get-togethers and pre-sail planning of evolution at sea.

“The sea phase would include tactical manoeuvres, exercises related to maritime security such as anti-piracy and counterterrorism, search and rescue, gunnery firings and air defence exercises. The highlight of the sea phase will be the international fleet review, which will be witnessed by national and foreign dignitaries,” he added.

Over 50 countries will participate in the five-day drills

The navy has been conducting the Aman exercise every two years since its beginning in 2007.

“As a maritime nation, Pakistan has substantial stakes in keeping its seas safe and secure. Pakistan’s interests are based on three major factors. Firstly, its extraordinary dependence on the seas for trade; second, operationalisation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and third, Pakistan’s strategic location astride the global energy highway. Cumulatively, these realities make maritime stability a vital national security interest,” he said.

He said: “We realise the importance of maritime security not only for Pakistan, but for all other countries whose prosperity and progress are tied to the seas. While we talk of security and stability at sea, let us be mindful of the threats and challenges that we face in the maritime domain, ranging from piracy, terrorism, narco-arms trafficking to climate change. However, the vastness of the seas makes it extremely difficult for any nation to deal with these diverse challenges alone. This calls for collective effort to make sure the seas remain safe and secure for all to use and benefit from.”

He continued: “Pakistan Navy is therefore a firm believer in the concept of collaborative maritime security. It has been actively participating in maritime security and counter piracy operations along with other partner navies since 2004. Furthermore, since 2018, Pakistan Navy is undertaking regional maritime security patrols through which our ships maintain presence in vital sea areas in the Indian Ocean Region to contribute towards maintaining good order at sea in accordance with our international commitments.”

The Commander Pakistan Fleet said: “Exercise Aman is thus the manifestation of this acknowledged reality of combating the maritime threats collectively through cooperation and mutual support and provides enormous opportunities to the participants for shaping and rehearsing the contours of such a collective response.”

He emphasised that the principle purpose of this exercise is to provide a forum for understanding each other’s maritime concepts and operational cultures, enhancing interoperability as well as identifying the ways and means to combat common threats at sea. The exercise also helps foster friendships, bridging gaps and making it possible for countries from far and wide to operate together in pursuance of shared objectives.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2023