Shahid Jameel
Pakistan Navy has been interacting with regional and extra-regional navies through joint bilateral and multilateral exercises. Exercise AMAN is a multinational exercise with friendly regional and extra-regional navies to enhance interoperability and mutual understanding. AMAN series of exercises were started in 2007 and held every two years with a view to promote regional cooperation and stability and to display a united resolve against terrorism and crimes in maritime domain including piracy.
AMAN is an Urdu word meaning “PEACE” and slogan of AMAN exercise is “Together for Peace”. AMAN-19 is the 6th such exercise scheduled in North Arabian Sea from 8-12 Feb 2019 at Karachi. This time more than 40 countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, Turkey, Japan, Russia, UK and US have confirmed their participation with their ships, aircraft, helicopters, marine teams and observers.
All earlier naval exercise of the AMAN series have been very fruitful and not only were participated wholeheartedly by navies of friendly countries, ushering goodwill to Pakistan, but have also resulted in all participants including the host Pakistan Navy gaining tremendous professional experience.
Exercise AMAN-19 envisages hosting several events of harbor and sea-phase. The harbor activities include, reception of the participating units, a grand opening ceremony, playing friendly sports matches and a Maritime Counter Terrorism demonstration by the elite PN Marines. An International Maritime Conference under the aegis of National Centre for Maritime Policy Research (NCMPR) at Bahria University has also been organized. The highlight of the event will be the presence of eminent speakers and delegates from across the globe. The sea activities include an International Fleet Review, which include various operational activities like Fly Past by Air Units, RAS (L) Token, Anti-Piracy Demonstration by PN MSW Team, Surface Firing on KILLER TOMATO (Floating Balloon Target), Man and Cheer Ship in honor of the Chief Guest.
The world is currently embroiled in trails and tribulations of various types. Besides the war against terrorism, power projection especially in the maritime sphere has increased in the twenty first century. Alfred Thayer Mahan, the famed US naval strategist had rightly predicted that whoever controls the Indian Ocean dominates Asia. This ocean is the key to the seven seas in the twenty-first century, the destiny of the world will be decided in these waters.
India is building a Blue Water Navy to fulfill its power boost ambitions. Every nation aspires to build up its defense capability, but India has hegemonic designs and has a history of trying to subdue its neighbors with its maritime capability. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and even India’s ally Bangladesh have suffered at the hands of India’s domination syndrome. India considers China as an opponent and is opposed to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as well as its flagship project i.e. CPEC, especially the development of the strategic deep water port of Gwadar. India considers Gwadar Port and CPEC as a threat to its hegemony in the region.
The other power, which is attempting to venture its maritime presence in the Indian Ocean as well as the South China Sea is the US. Its contention against China has been visibly amplified and is rallying various other nations in the region to gather an alliance to contain China, economically and militarily. China on the other hand has no hegemonic designs against any country and is focusing on economic activities likes BRI with countries of the region and beyond. India and the US have teamed up to collaborate against China. Since the Gwadar port is located from where thirty five percent of the world’s oil supply flows from the Gulf of Hormuz to the west, both the US and India, perceive it as a threat from where China has the capability of choking the world’s oil supply.
In this background, AMAN-19 can be termed as a meaningful event where a large participation from host of countries would be of great value of Pakistan. The rise in number of participants bears testimony to Pakistan’s rising relevance in the international pitch. AMAN-19 is expected to bring honor to Pakistan and will rise the morale of Pakistan Navy for hosting a major multi-nation operational exercise and strengthen the confidence of the nation in the capabilities of the maritime guardians of Pakistan. Pakistan has always been a keen supporter of regional peace and collaborative security. The conduct of this exercise is one of the quantum leaps towards the fulfillment of the shared vision of peace along with global partners.
