LAHORE: Underscoring the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean as a geopolitical hotspot driven by strategic competition, emerging technologies, and regional power dynamics, diplomats, former military officials and academics urged the national leadership to adopt a proactive and multifaceted strategy in the region to protect country’s interests.

At an event hosted by the Pakistan Navy War College in collaboration with the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), experts from diverse fields called for strengthening Pakistan’s naval capabilities, deepening strategic ties with China, and addressing India’s maritime expansion.

They also highlighted the need to leverage Pakistan’s geographic position and invest in infrastructure like Gwadar to enhance economic and strategic prospects in the evolving geopolitical landscape. They recommended the integration of advanced technologies, and the pursuit of pragmatic arms control measures for regional stability, reducing risks of escalation, and capitalizing on economic opportunities.

Ex-CJCSC stresses the ocean is a shared resource, not India’s exclusive domain

Describing India as ‘elephant in the room’ in the region, former chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee retired Gen Zubair Mehmood Hayat asserted that Pakistan must continue to advocate that the ocean is a shared resource, not India’s exclusive domain.

He emphasised Pakistan’s significant stake in the Indian Ocean and the necessity of crafting policies to safeguard its national interests amid a competitive geopolitical environment.

Former National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf urged Pakistan to leverage its strategic location for economic gains, emphasising that Pakistan was not part of the broader framework of Indo-Pacific theatre, that has been designed against China.

Retired Lt Gen Khalid Ahmed Kidwai urged Pakistan to adopt a holistic approach that integrates its continental and maritime interests in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. He called for the preservation of Pakistan’s strategic partnership with China, viewing it as pivotal to Pakistan’s future security and prosperity.

He stressed the urgency of addressing strategic threats in the region before shifting dynamics further complicate Pakistan’s position.

Former foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry underscored the critical need for Pakistan to enhance its naval capabilities, modernize its maritime infrastructure, and develop Gwadar’s potential by improving its connectivity to the northern regions. “These steps are essential for achieving peace, security, and economic growth in the Indian Ocean region,” he said.

President of National Institute of Maritime Affairs retired Vice Admiral Ahmed Saeed Minhas highlighted maritime security as a cornerstone for regional peace, global trade, and sustainable development. He pointed out that securing the maritime environment was key to addressing critical global challenges such as energy and food security, climate change, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

SPD adviser retired Brig Zahirul Haider Kazmi discussed the destabilising impact of emerging technologies like hypersonic weapons and AI, which exacerbate risks of miscalculation in the region. He called for enhancing Pakistan’s maritime capabilities to counter India’s naval expansion and advocated for pragmatic arms control measures, such as naval hotlines, to reduce risks without compromising deterrence.

President of the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies Air Marshal (retired) Asim Suleman identified the Indian Ocean as a focal point of global strategic competition, with India’s expanding maritime activities contributing to regional instability. He stressed the importance of integrating Pakistan’s naval capabilities across all domains to counter these threats and harness the region’s shared opportunities.

Commandant Azhar Mahmood of the Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore, pointed out that shifting power dynamics and alliance formations are reshaping the region’s geopolitical landscape.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2024