AMAN-25 Naval Exercise: Pakistan’s joint naval exercise with China sparks Indian concerns in Indian Ocean

The upcoming AMAN-25 multinational naval exercise, hosted by the Pakistan Navy, and scheduled from February 7 to 11, 2025, in Karachi, has garnered significant attention, especially with expectations of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) of China actively participating.

This development holds strategic implications for India, considering the deepening Sino-Pak military collaboration and its potential impact on maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

This will be the ninth edition of exercise AMAN since its inception in 2007. In AMAN-25, over 50 countries are expected to participate, emphasising Pakistan’s desire to showcase its strategic partnerships and foster multilateral cooperation.

China’s Growing Influence in AMAN

The PLA Navy’s expected participation reflects China’s increasing footprint in the Indian Ocean under its broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Pakistan and China, already strategic allies, share military and economic ties, most notably through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the development of the Gwadar port.

China’s involvement in AMAN-25 could be viewed as an effort to project power in the region and solidify its maritime influence, directly impacting India’s security calculus.

India’s Concerns

India is keeping a high vigil in the IOR to ensure maritime security and check encirclement. China’s growing presence in Pakistan’s maritime initiatives, coupled with its base in Djibouti and investments in Sri Lanka, has led to concerns about a string of pearls strategy, potentially encircling India in the IOR.

The joint drills in AMAN-25 could enhance interoperability between the PLA Navy and Pakistan Navy, posing challenges to India’s maritime dominance.

AMAN-25 serves as a platform for Pakistan to demonstrate its growing alignment with China. The exercise underscores the Pakistan-China nexus in countering India’s influence in the region, especially as both countries challenge India in Kashmir and along the LAC.

The PLA Navy’s participation is likely to showcase advanced capabilities, including new frigates and submarines. For India, this highlights the need to accelerate its own naval modernization program and strengthen its position in the IOR through alliances such as the Quad (India, the US, Japan, and Australia).

India is bolstering its naval capabilities with new assets in the blue waters to counter the implications of exercises like AMAN-25.

India is also deepening its partnerships in the IOR by enhancing bilateral and multilateral naval exercises like Malabar and Milan, focusing on interoperability and regional stability.

Given the rising Chinese presence, India has expedited the induction of advanced platforms including nuclear submarines, ensuring it remains prepared for potential maritime threats.

India is also enhancing maritime domain awareness through robust satellite and drone systems, critical in monitoring Chinese activities in the Arabian Sea and beyond.