As part of its efforts to enhance international cooperation in maritime security, the Royal Saudi Navy is participating in the joint naval exercise AMAN-25, held in Karachi, Pakistan, with the involvement of 60 countries.
The Royal Saudi Navy is contributing to the exercise with His Majesty’s ships, along with specialized forces from the Marine Corps and the Royal Navy’s Special Security Units, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
AMAN is a series of multilateral naval exercises hosted by the Pakistan Navy, with amiable regional and international navies to improve communication and cooperation. The biennial event includes professional exercises and seminars, social events, and sports matches between participating nations.
The Pakistan Navy has conducted the AMAN maritime exercise every two years since 2007 under the theme “Together For Peace,” involving ships, aircraft and special operations forces.
The exercise Aman-2025 is held from February 7 until 11 and is divided into two phases.
In the Harbour Phase, the first phase was conducted from 7-9 February and showcased conventions, exchange of views, operational presentations, international cultural events, and sports activities.
In the Sea Phase, the second phase, scheduled for February 10 and 11, the exercise aims on holding practical exercises, including anti-piracy and anti-terrorism exercises, search and rescue operations, international fleet review and live firing exercises.
The multinational maritime exercise aims to strengthen global collaboration in combating piracy and terrorism while improving security coordination among the participating naval forces. The training focuses on safeguarding economic waters, sharing expertise, enhancing combat readiness, and preparing participants for complex maneuvers and counter-techniques.
This year’s special feature is the inaugural AMAN Dialogue, themed “Secure Seas, Prosperous Future,” with a focus on security challenges in the Indian Ocean. These include strategic competition, piracy, narco-trafficking, non-state actors, resource exploitation, climate change, emerging technologies such as AI and unmanned systems, the blue economy and the need for global collaboration to ensure stability and prosperity.
“Today, we stand at a record, which is 60 countries participating in the exercise. That itself speaks to how the world community actually wants to get together for peace,” Rear Admiral Abdul Munib told Arab News after the inauguration.
He added that since 2007, when the multinational exercise was launched for the first time, strategic leadership was not involved in AMAN, a gap that led Pakistan’s Naval Chief to propose the idea of a dialogue.
Earlier, he told a ceremony attended by naval officials from other countries that the dialogue aimed to promote a shared understanding of maritime security challenges and their linkage with the blue economy
In a video message released by the Pakistan Navy, a Saudi official said that the Royal Saudi Navy was proud to participate in the exercises.
“The Royal Saudi Navy is proud to participate, reflecting our commitment to maritime security,” said Brig. (Staff) Bander Hamad S. Al-Hokubani, the Saudi Military Attaché in Islamabad.
“We look forward to achieving its goals and strengthening ties with all participants represented by their heads of navies, coast guards, and defense services,” he added.
