AMAN Exercise 2025-Together for Peace; Is Peace a Utopian Concept?

AMAN Exercise 2025-Together for Peace; Is Peace a Utopian Concept?

Pakistan Navy is the naval arm of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which today is a four-dimensional maritime force and is responsible for the protection and safe guard of the country's maritime interests, rights and assets in the Arabian Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean. Pakistan Navy, like the country itself, has very limited resources, but despite very meager resources, today the Pakistan Navy is recognized as a significant element in maintaining peace in the Arabian Sea. Therefore, in fulfillment of the same role, the ninth Aman Exercise 2025 was held in Karachi during February 7-11, 2025. This year, Aman Dialogue conference was also held as an addition to the earlier held exercises.

Pakistan Navy continues to take many initiatives to educate its nationals about the usefulness and importance of the sea and its Public Relations Directorate is quite active in this regard. The basic functions of any military arm is to show the essence in the battlefield during war; but we humans have progressed to new era while pursuing our civilizational goals; where war is a failure of human intellect and capital and the real enemy of humanity is now war itself. Because, as a result of the war, even if there is a winner, will have nothing except regrets. Pakistan Navy, as others as well, recognizes the advancement of technology and essence of time; so the lesson learnt drew Pakistan Navy in 2007, to propose the idea of fostering the naval forces in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean for the protection of their respective national interests. And the first "Together for Peace" exercises were held. This Aman-2025 edition was the ninth episode of peace-building exercises. During the Sea Phase, "Waves of Unity" were also created by World Navies Sailing as One Flotilla in Arabian Sea.

Oceans are the cause and strength of life on our planet Earth. The fact is that the planet Earth is 72% water and only 28% land. So it is very important and necessary that the ocean waves and channels are free and safe. The powerful countries may dominate the sea lanes individually and assert their rule over the world. But this order of world dominance remained useful in the past or until the last century, but now in new millennium, the world has changed and the competing naval forces have gathered a lot of power; and the collision or violent means will result in total destruction if not annihilations. It's now the time for peace. In the following; a study based on real incident is presented for thinking minds:-

In January 1992, a shipping mishap turned into an unexpected scientific breakthrough when the cargo ship "Ever Laurel" lost a container carrying 29,000 plastic toys—mostly rubber ducks—into the Pacific Ocean. What started as an accident became a groundbreaking study, proving that even a lost rubber duck can help unlock the mysteries of the ocean.

🔹 A Journey Across the Seas "Months later, these tiny travelers began washing up on Alaska’s shores, over 3,270 km (2,030 miles) from where they were lost.

🔹 A Unique Ocean Experiment: Oceanographers tracked the ducks’ movements, using them as floating markers to study ocean currents and how objects disperse at sea.

🔹 Ducks Across the World: Some of these adventurous toys traveled astonishing distances, with reports of them reaching Europe years later, providing valuable insights into oceanic flow patterns.

The oceans and seas are mysterious and they transcend God's wisdom for all of us humans. The water, waves and currents of the seas and oceans flow without restrictions from one region to another and from one continent to another; notwithstanding the borders and EEZs of any country. Similarly, the ocean led atmosphere is a bounty that showers its magic upon all humanity; likewise, all seas should be free and safe for all humanity. And all nations within their respective maritime limits shall ensure safe and secure waves, lanes and channels for peaceful purposes and useful to all humanity; in such a way that no harmful element can hurt the interests of even land locked countries.

Aman Exercise-2025; The Aman exercises and dialogue session provided a platform for global maritime cooperation that could have no other purpose than to promote peace and security at seas. We must understand that a safe seas is the guarantee of a prosperous future. This is not the era of "clash of civilizations" but the time of the confluence of the beautiful blend of civilizations, as a fruit of peace.

Sixty countries participated in the four-day Aman Exercise 2025, which is a commendable landmark, signifying that importance, the countries of the world assign to peace. The first event organized a two-day "Aman Dialogue: was held at the Pakistan Naval Academy, Karachi. Aman Dialogue gathered, held under the auspices of Pakistan Navy, naval chiefs of various countries, maritime organizations and eminent intellectuals from around the world gathered. "During the inaugural AMAN Dialogue, participants deliberated on contemporary challenges in the maritime sector, engaging in meaningful debates and discussions to formulate actionable strategies to counter emerging threats at sea. The dialogue served as a bridge between East and West, bringing together global maritime leaders, scholars, and security experts to shape the future of maritime cooperation and security".

In his welcome speech, Chief of the Naval Staff, Pakistan Navy, Admiral Naveed Ashraf NI(M)TBt, "expressed his gratitude to dignitaries and participants from across the world for their valuable contributions in making AMAN Dialogue 2025 a success. He underscored that AMAN has transformed into a truly global initiative, reinforcing its role as a platform for meaningful dialogue and collective action in maritime security. The Admiral said that deliberations during AMAN Dialogue have yielded concrete pathways for strengthening information sharing, developing coordinated responses to maritime threats and fostering technological cooperation while evaluating challenges and benefits of artificial intelligence in Naval Operations. He further stressed the need to implement the strategies and solutions emerging from the AMAN Dialogue to address persistent maritime security challenges".

Delivering the keynote address, Pakistan's Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed appreciated the peace-building efforts of the Pakistan Navy in promoting a collaborative approach to tackling the complex challenges of maritime security. He also highlighted the Navy's role in creating awareness about the Blue Economy and socio-economic development of coastal communities at the national level. Under the central theme of "Safe Seas, Prosperous Future", the Peace Dialogue featured panel discussions by Chiefs of Navy and Heads of Delegation on various topics including maritime security, maritime cooperation, blue economy, and the impact of technology on maritime security.

Cdre (R) Nasim Ghafoor has penned about the opening ceremony of Aman Exercise 2025 and to borrow from his time line from Face Book "The most glorious moment was the playing of NAQQARA –Call of Peace. A brilliant new idea of expression through an instrumental symphony with the video featuring our country and its unique traditions and customs with beats of bonding and a rhythm that unites us all as a great nation. NAQQARA has elevated the AMAN to a higher pedestal, starting with the colours of Pakistan transiting to Pakistan Navy and the Global desire for Peace and Harmony".

We humans in this world and we are the custodians and followers of multiple civilizations and want to live and prosper in peace in our own dimensions and domains. All the human beings inhabiting this earth have given rise to their own unique traditions and customs, which itself has a beautiful harmony and their symphony with their own colors keeps those human beings alive and happy. Can't we humans unite and become an organized "orchestra" and give the world a symphony of peace that can be played and heard in all the seas, in which, we ride the waves at seas and enjoy the bounty of peace singing and dancing on the tunes of peace? Pakistan Navy has presented a beautiful idea and there is a need to embody the desire of world peace with mutual security and harmony with all the world's colors and turn the dreams of peace into reality.

Paulo Coelho in "The Alchemist said "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it;" and further he added "When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too." The human intellect and capital is too precious an element to waste in violence or in war theaters; so let's better invest in peace overtures to achieve an idea even if it is utopian.