News Desk
ISLAMABAD: Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami on Wednesday briefed the media on Wednesday about the details of multinational Maritime Exercise AMAN-23 at PNS Jauhar that would be held from February 10th to 14th in Pakistan.
He further said that Pakistan Navy has been conducting AMAN series of multinational maritime exercise every two years since its beginning in 2007, whereas more than 50 countries with ships, aircraft, Special Ops Forces/ EOD Marines teams and observers will participate in the eighth edition.
Multinational Maritime Exercise AMAN-2023
He further said that the exercise has two phases, harbor and sea. Harbor phase included activities such as seminars, professional demonstrations, international get togethers, operational discussions and pre-sail planning of evolutions at sea.
While the sea phase comprised tactical maneuvers, and exercises related to maritime security such as anti-piracy and counter-terrorism, gunnery firings, search and rescue and air defense exercises. The focus of the sea phase will be the International Fleet Review, which will be experienced by national and foreign dignitaries
Keeping Seas Safe and Secure
Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami further said that as a maritime nation, Pakistan has substantial stakes in keeping the seas safe and secure. “Our interests are based on three key factors. Firstly, our extraordinary dependency on the seas for trade, second, operationalization of CPEC project and last but not the least, our strategic location astride the global energy highway”, he said.
He further said that security and stability at sea was connected with the threats and challenges that they face in the maritime domain, ranging from terrorism, piracy, narco-arms trafficking to climate change.
Meanwhile, vastness of the seas makes it further difficult for any one nation to deal with these diverse challenges alone, he said, adding that this called for collective effort to make sure the seas become safe and secure for all and sundry to use and take benefit from it. Pakistan Navy is therefore a strong believer in the idea of Collaborative Maritime Security and has been actively taking part in Maritime Security and Counter-Piracy Operations along with other relevent partner navies since 2004.
Moreover, since 2018, Pakistan Navy is conducting Regional Maritime Security Patrols through which our ships maintain presence in crucial sea areas in the Indian Ocean Region, to contribute towards maintaining propoer order at sea in accordance with our international commitments, Ahmed Bilgrami added.
Exercise AMAN is thus the demonstration of this acknowledged reality of combating the maritime threats collectively through cooperation and combined support and provides enormous opportunities and space o the participants for shaping and rehearsing the contours of such a collective response.
Purpose of the Excercise
Commander Pakistan Fleet highlited that the principle purpose of this exercise is to provide a forum for understanding each other’s maritime concepts and operational cultures, boosting interoperability as well as identifying ways and means to combat common challeneges and threats at sea.
The occasion also backs foster friendships, bridging gaps and making it possible for nations from far and wide to operate together in pursuance of shared objectives.
He added that coverage of the event by the media would help to highlight the true spirit of Exercise AMAN as reflected so aptly in its motto ‘Together for Peace’ besides the contributions of Pakistan Navy and Pakistan’s image as a responsible maritime nation.
Meanwhile, Commander Pakistan Fleet expressed his condolences for the people of Turkiye and Syria who have been devastated during the recent tragic earthquake.
