Mumbai: India and Pakistan will conduct naval exercises in the Arabian Sea on August 11-12, close to each other’s maritime zones.
Military drills are nothing uncommon, as both nations conduct these routinely from time to time. But it’s the timing and proximity of these latest exercises that have drawn attention.
The naval exercises, scheduled to take place approximately 60 nautical miles from each other, highlight the heightened naval presence and strategic posturing by the two nations. Coming as they do three months after Operation Sindoor, the upcoming naval exercises are being seen in a different perspective.
Both naval forces have issued notifications for firing exercises in the Arabian Sea next week, News18 reported.
Indian Navy has said it will conduct maritime drills from August 11 to 12 off the coast of Porbandar and Okha, in Gujarat.
In the early hours of May 7, Indian Armed forces launched targeted missile strikes on nine terrorist hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent men on April 22.
Pakistan retaliated by trying to hit several Indian cities in the border states of Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat with drone and missile attacks. India’s air defence systems stood up to the test and repelled most of the Pakistani advances. Not only that, the Army, Air Force and Navy combined and coordinated effectively to hit a number of Pakistani airbases.
After four days of intense military conflict, Pakistan called for ceasefire which was agreed to by DGMOs of both countries on the afternoon of May 10.
