ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have commenced a joint naval exercise near the kingdom’s Al Jubail city to strengthen bilateral ties and foster interoperability among their navies and special operation forces, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement on Saturday.

Naval exercises are planned military training activities conducted by naval forces belonging to different countries. They serve several purposes, including training and readiness of naval personnel, stronger coordination among different navies, testing of equipment, and experimenting with new tactics.

These exercises also deter potential adversaries and prepare the participants for any crisis response.

“A major joint naval exercise Naseem Al Bahr-XIV and Deraa Al Sahil between Pakistan Navy (PN) and Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) has commenced at Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia,” the Pakistan Navy announced in the statement.

It added that the maritime drills would encompass a wide spectrum of naval operations, spanning both traditional and non-traditional warfare domains.

“For participation in the exercise, the PN Flotilla, comprising Pakistan Navy Ships Saif, Himmat, Dehshat, and Muhafiz, reached Al Jubail port of Saudi Arabia, where they were warmly welcomed by senior RSNF officials and Pakistan’s diplomatic staff in [the kingdom],” the statement said.

The exercises involve not only naval ships, but also special operations forces and marines from both naval forces, complemented by the participation of helicopters and aircraft from the RSNF.

During the harbor phase, both sides exchanged views on professional topics and completed preparations for the upcoming sea exercises. The activities during that phase encompassed workshops focusing on tactical procedures, informative seminars, simulator training sessions, reciprocal visits, and coordination meetings, all crucial preludes to the execution of sea exercises.

Exercise Naseem Al Bahr is conducted biennially and has evolved over three decades into an expression of strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, highlighting their shared determination to strengthen collaboration in the naval sphere, with a united effort to address maritime challenges effectively.