'AMAN Dialogue' to debut with AMAN-25 exercises

For the first time, an 'AMAN Dialogue' would be held in tandem with Pakistan Navy's flagship AMAN naval exercises next month, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Naveed Ashraf revealed in an interview published on Thursday.

Admiral Naveed told Global Times that multinational AMAN-25 exercise would be hosted by the Pakistan Navy in early February in Karachi. He said that the main objective of AMAN was to foster regional cooperation for the maintenance of good order at sea.

Ashraf revealed that the maiden 'AMAN Dialogue' would be held in tandem with AMAN-25. "The AMAN Dialogue aims to promote understanding in maritime security issues, finding ways to enhance cooperation at sea, and discussing security linked to the blue economy," he added.

The CNS said that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy had participated in all the previous editions of AMAN. He hoped that the PLA Navy would also participate in AMAN-25, adding that he looked forward to hosting PLA Navy leadership at the 'AMAN Dialogue'.

The last AMAN exercises were held in February 2023 in which the navies of more than 50 countries participated. The CNS said that the Pakistan Navy was fully prepared for the AMAN-25 with enhanced participation of friendly countries in a professional and befitting manner.

Aside from the AMAN series exercises, China and Pakistan also regularly hold the Sea Guardian bilateral naval drills. The China-Pakistan Sea Guardian-3 maritime joint exercise was held in the waters and airspace of the northern Arabian Sea from November 11 to 17, 2023.