Pakistan and Saudi naval forces conclude maritime exercise with live weapons firing

Saudi Navy ship exhibits a live fire demonstration during a bilateral maritime exercise in the North Arabian Sea on February 15, 2025. (Pakistan Navy)
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Updated 16 February 2025
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Pakistan and Saudi naval forces conclude maritime exercise with live weapons firing

  • Naseem Al Bahr-XV followed the Aman exercise that brought together navies from several states
  • Both navies executed complex scenarios, including joint maneuvers and anti-submarine warfare

KARACHI: The Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) on Saturday concluded a bilateral maritime exercise with a live weapons firing display in the North Arabian Sea, demonstrating combat readiness, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Naval Headquarters in Islamabad.
The Naseem Al Bahr-XV followed the larger multinational Aman exercise, which brought together navies from several countries to promote regional maritime cooperation.
However, unlike Aman, which focuses on soft power, multinational coordination and humanitarian operations, Naseem Al Bahr is a biennial exercise designed to enhance operational preparedness and joint warfare capabilities between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
This year’s edition involved four naval vessels — Pakistan’s PNS Zulfiquar and Saudi Arabia’s HMS Jazan, HMS Al Yarmook and HMS Hail.
“Exercise NASEEM AL BAHR-XV featured advanced maritime operations, and the participating assets of both navies executed a diverse range of complex scenarios, including joint maneuvers, Anti-Surface Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare and integrated Maritime Security Operations,” the official statement said.
“The exercise provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation, enhance interoperability and demonstrate a shared commitment to ensuring maritime security,” it added.
The exercise concluded with a live weapons firing demonstration, with the participating ships successfully launching a variety of surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles.
The statement said all the ships engaged their designated targets with precision, reflecting their combat preparedness and war-fighting capability.
Senior officials, including the commander Royal Saudi Naval Forces and Pakistan’s chief of naval staff, attended the event.
 


Pakistan touts investment potential for US businesses in tech, energy and minerals

Updated 07 December 2025
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Pakistan touts investment potential for US businesses in tech, energy and minerals

  • The country’s envoy says both sides was committed to anchoring relations in economic cooperation
  • He describes Pakistan’s tech-savvy youth as a competitive asset for businesses needing skilled labor

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States said on Sunday the country offered profitable opportunities for American businesses in information technology, energy and minerals, according to an official statement.

The comments come months after the US and Pakistan reached a trade deal in July, with officials on both sides signaling interest in expanding cooperation into energy, mining, digital infrastructure and other sectors.

Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb at the time said the aim was to move “beyond the immediate trade imperative,” adding that the two countries had “come a long way” in their broader strategic partnership.

“Pakistan presents profitable opportunities for US entrepreneurs, particularly in the fast-growing and lucrative IT, energy and minerals sectors,” Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said, according to the statement.

Sheikh made the remarks during a meeting at the embassy in Washington with a delegation from the Yale School of Management, which plans to visit Pakistan.

He said the leadership in both countries was committed to anchoring relations in economic cooperation and providing an investor-friendly environment for American firms looking to enter a market of more than 250 million people.

The ambassador noted Pakistan was strategically located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East, adding that it served as a vital trade corridor offering US businesses connectivity to energy-rich Central Asian states and Gulf markets.

Sheikh highlighted opportunities in tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and information technology, pointing to Pakistan’s large, tech-savvy youth population as a competitive asset for businesses needing skilled labor.

“The success of over 80 US companies already operating profitably in Pakistan bears testimony to the country’s vast economic potential,” he said.

The statement added the delegation thanked the ambassador for the briefing and said it looked forward to the embassy’s support during the visit.