ISLAMABAD: An ongoing multinational maritime exercise organized by Pakistan seeks to discuss the development of “blue economy” in the region under a secure environment, said the foreign office spokesman at the outset of his press briefing on Friday.
The Pakistan Navy has been arranging the maritime AMAN exercises every two years since 2007. This year, 45 countries are participating in it to help foster a shared security vision in the Indian Ocean.
Explaining the rationale behind the collaborative effort, the foreign office spokesman, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, said that the ongoing AMAN-2021 exercise in the northern Arabian Sea would highlight “the significance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Gwadar Port.”
He added that the exercise, which is scheduled to end on February 16, would help nations collectively work “against human trafficking, smuggling of narcotics and weapons, and terrorism in the region.”
Chaudhri said AMAN-2021 was designed to help participating nations enhance their “operational skills and interoperability in a diverse maritime environment.”
Analysts around the world view the Indian Ocean as a highly strategic region.
Many of them have pointed out that its waters are rich in mineral resources while recognizing its centrality to global maritime trade.
