AMAN DIALOGUE 2025 -A NEW STRATEGIC INITIATIVE OF PAKISTAN
The AMAN Dialogue 2025 – A New Strategic Initiative of Pakistan highlights the growing importance of the world’s oceans as our collective human inheritance, upon which we increasingly rely for resources and sustenance. Economic factors are now taking precedence over political considerations, becoming key drivers of strategic planning with far-reaching effects. As a result, protecting international maritime commerce and energy transportation routes, which form the foundation of the global economy, has become critically important. For nations with maritime interests, ensuring unrestricted access to and use of ocean waters is essential for both national security and survival.
The Indian Ocean has long held strategic significance, sitting at the intersection of worldwide political, economic, and security interests throughout recorded history. The Indian Ocean Region encompasses 38 coastal nations, including Pakistan, and is home to diverse populations representing various ethnic groups, faiths, and cultural traditions. As a maritime nation, Pakistan relies heavily on the Indian Ocean, with 91% of its trade flowing through these waters.
Nations within the IOR exhibit diverse governance structures, varying economic development levels, and different national priorities. This region holds immense resource wealth, containing approximately 58.3% of global oil reserves and over 45% of natural gas deposits. The area features seven strategic waterways or choke points, with three being vital to international commerce. The volume of daily oil transport is substantial, with 21 million barrels passing through the Strait of Hormuz and 17 million through the Malacca Strait. Maritime traffic is intense, with roughly 120,000 vessels annually navigating the Indian Ocean, representing half of worldwide shipping activity.
However, the region faces significant challenges. It ranks among the world’s most politically active and potentially unstable areas, with political unrest often emerging from domestic, neighboring, and regional disputes. This instability frequently attracts outside political and military involvement, creating a complex and evolving security environment.
Several factors contribute to regional instability: growing fossil fuel requirements, emerging regional powers capable of extending their military reach, navigation freedom operations, the spillover of terrestrial conflicts into maritime domains, and disruptions to vital shipping routes. Additional challenges include non-traditional threats such as climate change-induced sea-level rise, ocean pollution affecting food systems, illegal nuclear waste disposal, discriminatory application of maritime regulations against certain nations (like HMCR and MTCR), interference with regional shipping lanes, and the implementation of concepts such as ABNJ and BBNJ in international waters.
The maritime security landscape is further complicated by technological innovation in naval weapons, maritime AI applications, military drone deployment, tensions between major powers, and the modernization of regional naval forces and capabilities. These developments create significant challenges for maritime governance officials working to maintain order in oceanic regions, particularly within the Indian Ocean.
The distinctive nature of these IOR challenges has expanded maritime security considerations, compelling countries globally to reassess and adapt their maritime strategies and military structures. This shifting global dynamic has fostered new strategic partnerships and power alignments. The emergence of bloc politics, characterized by major powers making substantial investments to gain influence over smaller nations, establishing naval facilities, creating surveillance stations, and controlling strategic waterways, presents considerable challenges. Strategic groupings such as AUKUS, I2U2, QUAD, and BRICS have significant implications for maritime states. While economic, trade, and security aspects of the maritime environment are crucial, equal importance must be given to diplomatic, political, legal, technical, and military dimensions. These interconnected elements create both challenges and opportunities in maritime affairs, typically requiring comprehensive, multi-faceted solutions.
Pakistan acknowledges that contemporary maritime challenges are too complex for any single nation to address independently. This understanding drives the need for collaborative efforts among maritime stakeholders to counter both conventional and emerging threats. Demonstrating this commitment, Pakistan has been actively involved in international maritime security initiatives, participating in CTF-150 and CTF-151 since 2004 and 2009 respectively, with the Pakistan Navy leading these task forces more frequently than any other naval force. In 2018, Pakistan expanded its maritime security role by launching the Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP), aimed at enhancing regional maritime security and protecting global energy shipping routes through Pakistani waters. These endeavors reflect Pakistan’s dedication to cooperative security approaches, aligning with UNCLOS 83 principles.
To strengthen maritime surveillance and coordination, Pakistan established the Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre (JMICC), operating continuously since 2013 to support maritime activities within and beyond Pakistan’s area of responsibility. A significant demonstration of Pakistan’s commitment to international naval cooperation is the biennial AMAN exercise, initiated in 2007. The most recent iteration, held from February 10-14, 2023, attracted participation from over 50 nations. Operating under the motto “Together for Peace,” AMAN consists of two main components: a Harbor phase featuring strategic discussions, seminars, and cultural exchanges, and a Sea phase focusing on joint tactical operations including anti-piracy measures, air defense, and counter-terrorism drills.
The AMAN exercise serves multiple purposes, including promoting secure and sustainable maritime operations, exchanging professional expertise, and collaboratively addressing maritime security challenges to maintain regional stability and peace. This multinational initiative strengthens relationships and builds confidence among participating countries while advancing the Pakistan Navy’s strategic objectives and operational competencies. The 2023 iteration marked a significant expansion with the introduction of the Pakistan International Maritime Exhibition and Conference (PIMEC – 23), creating a platform for maritime businesses to highlight Pakistan’s maritime capabilities and stimulate national economic development.
AMAN exemplifies Pakistan’s diplomatic prowess in the naval sphere, successfully bringing together diverse naval forces from the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC), NATO, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Notably, it creates a unique, politically neutral environment where nations like the United States, Russia, Iran, and China can interact and cooperate. This achievement not only enhances Pakistan’s standing as a regional influential power but also demonstrates its unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and stability in maritime regions.
Read more: AMAN Dialogue 2025: Pakistan’s New Strategic Initiative
The upcoming AMAN-25, set for February 2025, will expand its scope with the introduction of the innovative ‘AMAN DIALOGUE.’ This new platform will convene an impressive gathering of naval leaders, coast guard commanders, security organization heads, maritime experts, scholars, think tank representatives, media professionals, and maritime specialists from more than 60 nations. This forum aims to address crucial maritime challenges through comprehensive discussions, debates, and knowledge exchange. The extensive participation of diverse global maritime leaders reflects the Pakistan Navy’s dedication to promoting worldwide cooperation for peace and stability.
The combined initiatives of AMAN-25 and AMAN Dialogue will emphasize the Pakistan Navy’s essential role in influencing both regional and global maritime security developments. Through facilitating discussions among international maritime stakeholders, Pakistan seeks to enhance its geopolitical influence while reinforcing its dedication to worldwide peace. The strategic addition of the AMAN Dialogue to complement traditional exercise components demonstrates Pakistan’s forward-thinking maritime strategy. The successful implementation of the AMAN Dialogue will highlight how crucial collaborative approaches are in addressing emerging security challenges, extending beyond regional concerns to encompass global maritime issues.
Author: IRAM ZAHID
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