TOGETHER FOR PEACE – Aman Exercise 2025

AMAN exercise 2025 is the 9th such exercise planned from 7-11 February 2025 at Karachi, Pakistan. The biennial event includes professional exercises and seminars, social events, and sports matches between participating nations. This write up "TOGETHER FOR PEACE – Aman Exercise 2025" is aimed at enhancing public awareness about maritime affairs and role of World and Pakistan Navy's for bringing peace in the world.

TOGETHER FOR PEACE – AMAN Exercise 2025

 

Man is a social animal and mainland Earth is the natural habitat of all humans. Ever since the man has landed on this planet, has strived to live near water resources because the two essentials of life other than air, which is the vital factor, is fresh water and food. All animals live on land and water is natural habitat of fish kingdom only. However, man learnt the ways and means to move across water ways and seas for his benefits. He learnt that water is not just important for his life but also significant for his betterment and growth. After all the Earth is 72% water and only 28% land, therefore; he who conquers and masters the water rules the world.

 

The oceans are our planet's life support and regulate the global climate system. It is the world's largest ecosystem, home to nearly a million known species and containing vast untapped potential for scientific discovery. Oceans are an important part of the water cycle. The ocean gives us life. It feeds us, entertains us, connects us and inspires us, and powers our success. Oceans and seas regulate the climate of our habitat Earth; covering 70 percent of the Earth's surface, the ocean transports heat from the equator to the poles, regulating our climate and weather patterns; for example the monsoon season rains in Indo Pak Sub continent are a phenomenon of Bay of Bengal.

 

Not only does the ocean protect us from excess carbon, it also provides the very air we breathe! In fact, the ocean produces as much as 80 per cent of Earth's oxygen. Much of this is achieved by microscopic plant-like organisms called phytoplankton that drifts around in our ocean. The oceans also provide living resources for food (fisheries and aquaculture) as well as for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and genetic products. Industries such as fishing, tourism, transportation, provide indispensable revenue to all nations geared to take advantage from the natural resource of coast lines in their maps. Developed nations use the seas for trade, travel, mineral extraction, power generation and leisure activities such as swimming, sailing, and scuba diving.

 

The oceans have many lessons hidden to learn and teach for all humans. That's not surprising, given that the planet's liquid layer is a vital Earth organ, regulating our climate and producing more than half the oxygen we breathe. There are seven Oceans and several seas on Earth; and water surrounds all seven continents from all sides. The oceans have long been used as a medium for shipping and communications, of course on boats in the past and ships in modern times. These days’ transportation and commerce is dependent upon Ocean-bound shipping which accounts for more than 90 percent of global trade and economy.

 

Man is a social animal and has developed civilizations on lands across continents. The Earth is vast and full of resources. However, the humans have also learnt to declare available resources scant and fight amongst each other for seizing control of resource centers. Thus the warfare became an order of the civilization; which forced humans to draw borders and form fighting arms to achieve strategic and tactical advantages over each other’s. Naval forces were created to take control of oceans and seas.

 

The last century saw two major world wars which involved land, air and sea battles between many nations and countries. The humans lost vast valuable resources for fighting those battles and learnt to live peacefully and solve problems through dialogues instead of war; thus the United Nations Organization was created. However, meaningful existence of durable peace has long remained elusive and nations are still struggling and making efforts to formant peace through dialogues.

 

Pakistan Navy is the ocean / sea water arm of Pakistan and the Arabian Sea / Indian Ocean is its area of responsibility. It played its role in an exemplary way with just little resources at its disposal. The sea is not a natural habitat of humans and mastering water requires far more resources for maintaining superiority over foe than land and air. Pakistanis are not a marine nation and sea vocabulary is not very easily understood by common man on the street. Pakistan Navy today is a four dimensional force which has developed into a meaningful factor in maintaining peace in Arabian Seas and is undertaking many steps to educate its populace about the importance of seas and oceans.

 

We are now living in digital age where world has actually become a village as each and every corner of the world is accessible to any ordinary folk through the cell phone in his palm. Many nations are awakening to the modern age dynamics and shifting paradigms; as in any modern day war the real enemy is war itself and not the foe in human form. The humans of the world will have to change the very basic thinking of taking challenge and changing tactical and strategic matters for the benefit of all humans instead of any particular country, nation or civilization.

 

The ex CNS of PN, Admiral MAK Niazi said during Aman 2021" I often queried that why my success should come at someone failure or why my success means that someone must loose. There has to be a way where we all can win and because this goes against the established thinking and psychology therefore it needs paradigm shift. Let's come together, understand each other and fight the common enemy." He further said during Aman 2023 that "We live in uncertain times. Threat and challenges we face today are novel and transnational. Working in silos won't help. Multilateral cooperation amongst nations, which I call Maritime Togetherness will ensure fortified front. This I think, how, we can keep seas secure and this would be the path we have to take".

 

The human beings are the most important resource of the modern day and the fulfilling human's ambitions for development and progress are the real things to attend and work for without indulging into war which in fact will be disaster even for the winner in the end. The emerging trends in humans' behaviour and thinking is a clear sign of challenging ambitions that modern man is setting for himself and that requires peace and togetherness to gel all human intellect for the betterment of all societies and civilizations.

Conclusion

Pakistan Navy undertook a gigantic task of Multinational Biennial Exercise AMAN in 2007 to enhance global naval cooperation and 9th such drills will be conducted during early February 2025 at Karachi and Arabian Sea. Pakistan is not like other marine nations where maritime affairs are common bargain. In the country Pakistan even well educated people are not aware of terms like warm waters, blue economy, naval diplomacy, strategic locations, trade routes, and importance of ports like Gwadar etc. It must be told again and again that the sea is very crucial to Pakistan’s economic security and prosperity. The message must therefore be narrated as much as possible so that common man can understand the importance of sea for his safety, survival and prosperity.

 

Pakistan has a vast coastline and her strategic location places it at the heart of one of the busiest and most critical maritime routes globally. Pakistan must achieve peace through dialogue and year's 2025 theme "AMAN DIALOGUE" sets the right goals and objectives. It is obvious that geopolitical and geostrategic scenarios in the Arabian Sea, the role of Pakistan Navy will always be of paramount importance. The peace must be achieved through nonviolent methods or else will be a waste of all human capital and intellect. Time has come to bring together all the Sea Moghuls, academia, think thanks, maritime professionals to address the issues related to maritime security through dialogue. Hopefully, “AMAN-25 DIALOGUE” will further recognize and strengthen World Navy’s pivotal role in shaping regional and international maritime security dynamics.