As the ceremony began, the flag squad of the PN presented a march-past on the tune for the national song ‘Iss Parcham Ke Saye Talay Hum Aik Hain (Unity Song)’ with every officer holding a neatly folded flag of each of the 60 participating countries in the AMAN-25 Exercise.

The representatives of each of the countries - Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Brunei, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, China, Comoros, Czech, Djibouti, Egypt, Fiji, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherland, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Seychelles, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Türkiye, UAE, Uganda, UK, USA and Zimbabwe, then took their positions in front of their respective flagpoles. The flags of participating countries were hoisted with the playing of Pakistan’s national anthem as all personnel in uniform saluted and the guests stood up in respect. 

At the ceremony Türkiye was represented by Captain Emre Ahmet İNAL, Commander of Operation from Dalaman Naval Air Command, who is also leading the Turkish Naval Forces personnel (a total of 23 personnel including 1 SAT Team, 1 SAS Team and crew of C-72 Turkish Maritime Utility Aircraft [TMUA] participating at AMAN-25.

As one of the flagship biennial events of the Pakistan Navy to express its commitment to make the sea safer for positive human activities and at the same time invite regional and extra-regional navies the AMAN-25 is being conducted from February 7 to 11 in Karachi and North Arabian Sea. Navies of 120 countries have been invited to participate and 60 Navies participated through Ships (a total of 13 ships from 11 Navies including Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, KSA, Malaysia, Oman, Sri Lanka, USA and the UAE), Aircraft, Special Operation Forces (SOF, including Explosives Ordnance Disposal [EOD] Teams and Marines Teams), Observers and Speakers.

During the ceremony, the Message of Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Pakistan Navy, Admiral Naveed ASHRAF was also read out by Commander of the 9th Auxiliary & Mine Warfare Squadron (COMAUXMIN-9) Commodore Omar FAROOQ. In his message, the CNS Adm. ASHRAF warmly welcomed the participants of the AMAN-25 Exercise. The Admiral stressed that today, Exercise AMAN has become a regular biennial feature involving regional and extra-regional navies in a bid to create a secure and conductive maritime environment. He further underlined that as a key stakeholder in the Arabian Sea, the Pakistan Navy has undertaken multiple initiatives to shore up regional maritime security. “Today’s maritime landscape presents a myriad of challenges, including terrorism, piracy, drugs & human trafficking, issues that transcend borders and require a unified response. Hence, closer cooperation among navies is vital for building resilient and reliable frameworks against the evolving threats,” Admiral ASHRAF stated in his message.

Delivering inaugural speech of the ceremony, Commander Pakistan Fleet, Rear Admiral Abdul MUNIB extended a warm welcome to all the participants and thanked them for their wholehearted participation in the exercise. The Commander Pakistan Fleet highlighted that with the evolving global landscape shifting from geo-politics to geo-economics, the security of global sea-borne trade and energy routes has gained unprecedented importance. The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) faces a range of challenges, from traditional security threats to non-traditional risks. These multifaceted issues have broadened the scope of maritime security, compelling nations to re-evaluate their strategies and policies. At his address Rear Admiral MUNIB emphasized that presence of friends, who have sailed and flown from various parts of the globe to join Pakistan Navy in the AMAN-25 and maiden AMAN Dialogue, is an indicative of their common resolve to promote collaboration and maintain good order at sea for protection of global commons. “Today’s maritime environment is marred with traditional and non-traditional challenges which require collaborative response from likeminded navies.

He stated that Pakistan recognizes that no single country can address the complex challenges at sea alone. In this context, Pakistan Navy took the initiative to launch biennial Multinational Exercise AMAN in 2007 under the slogan “Together for Peace.”

The primary objective of this exercise is to bring maritime nations together to adopt safe and sustainable procedures, share experiences, and collectively address maritime threats. Over the years, Exercise AMAN has evolved in terms of its objectives and scope. The first AMAN Exercise, which primarily focused on counterterrorism and anti-piracy operations, was attended by 28 countries. Over time, the scope and participation of the exercise expanded, ultimately paving the way for doctrinal synergy to counter emerging maritime challenges.

The 9th edition of the exercise is scheduled from February 7-11, 2025, with participation from 60 countries, including ships, aircraft, special operations forces, EOD marine teams, and observers. The exercise is divided into two phases: Harbor and Sea. The Harbor Phase (February 7-9) will include various activities such as seminars, operational discussions, professional demonstrations, international gatherings, and sports fixtures. The Sea Phase (February 10-11) will feature tactical maneuvers and maritime security exercises, including anti-piracy and counterterrorism operations, search and rescue drills, and live firing exercises. The highlight of the Sea Phase will be the International Fleet Review (IFR), which will be witnessed by both foreign and national dignitaries.

Commander Pakistan Fleet also emphasized that the growing global participation in Exercise AMAN reflects the international community’s confidence in Pakistan Navy’s role in collaborative maritime security. This confidence has led to yet another milestone, the introduction of the maiden AMAN Dialogue, which will be conducted alongside Exercise AMAN 2025. The AMAN Dialogue will bring together Chiefs of Navies, Coast Guards, and Defense Forces to exchange views on shared global and regional maritime issues. It will serve as a platform for adopting innovative solutions to address the ever-evolving challenges at sea. In essence, the AMAN Dialogue will merge intellectual discourse with real-time practical experiences in the maritime domain.

Rear Admiral MUNIB further added that Exercise AMAN 2025 will play a vital role in enhancing maritime security and strengthening Pakistan’s position as a key maritime player, capable of contributing to regional and global peace and shared prosperity while safeguarding its Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and economic interests.

Following the inaugural speech by Rear Admiral MUNIB, representatives of the participating 60 countries have formed up in front of flags for a group photo. Then they formed up in Media Enclosure for Cake Cutting ceremony. The Ex AMAN-25 official opening ceremony ended with a group photo session.

Photograph: Director General Public Relations (Navy) Commodore Ahmed Hussain SI(M)