Exercise Aman: Pakistan Navy invites 110 countries but only 7 showup

Exercise Aman, for the Pakistan Navy, is a prestigious moment. It is its biggest exercise and though it’s to begin on February 10, of the 110 countries invited, only seven have bothered to send ships or submarines.

The four-day biannual exercise appears to be another sign of Pakistan’s increasing isolation and participation appears to be going down. This year only seven countries have sent ships– the United States of America, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy, and Japan.

The American presence is virtually a token. While the US Navy sends an entire battle group, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for exercises like Malabar, which takes place every year, either in the Indian Ocean or in the Sea of Japan or in the Pacific Ocean, it has sent one warship, a destroyer.

Participation of the other nations in terms of ships is also low-key. The only country that appears to be making a major effort is expectedly China. There is considerable talk that a conventional submarine will be participating in the exercise, but so far, there is no final confirmation.

Turkey was also expected to send ships and also, an aircraft, but whether that will happen after the earthquake is not clear. Aman’s diminishing returns are only a sign of Pakistan’s difficulties in the international arena. While it is facing a huge financial crisis, the armed forces, particularly the Pakistan Army, is not affected.

The Chinese– the PLA Navy– will be participating in another exercise in the Indian Ocean very shortly. This is Mosi (Smoke)-2023, being organised by South Africa. It is a trilateral exercise with South Africa, Russia, and China as the participants.