Saudi-Pakistan Naval Forces Forge Stronger Ties in Naseem Al Bahr 15 Exercise
Rear Admiral Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Amri, the exercise commander, highlighted its focus on surface, air, and subsurface warfare, alongside irregular and humanitarian operations. The drill also sharpens maritime security skills, including vessel inspections and waterway protection.
Saudi Arabia deployed His Majesty's ships and helicopters, while Pakistan contributed warships, submarines, and air force support. Simulated multi-threat scenarios covered anti-surface, anti-air, and mine warfare, reflecting real-world challenges. Decades of Defense Partnership
The exercise builds on a 50-year military alliance, with Pakistan training Saudi officers since the 1970s. Recent collaborations include AMAN-25, a Karachi-hosted multinational drill where Saudi warships HMS Jazan and HMS Hail joined 60 nations to combat piracy and terrorism.
Both navies prioritize interoperability to counter emerging threats like cyber warfare and climate change. The Naseem Al Bahr series remains a cornerstone of their strategic dialogue, fostering trust and shared maritime stewardship.
This exercise strengthens strategic partnerships by uniting expertise, fostering trust, and enhancing mutual support among regional navies globally with excellence. Additionally, senior officials commit to future drills and collaborative projects that further solidify the enduring maritime alliance robustly for prosperity.
Short link :
Post Views: 95
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
15 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Riyadh and New Delhi to Promote Roadmap for Economic, Investment Cooperation
India and Saudi Arabia are working diligently to establish a joint roadmap for fostering a dynamic partnership aiming at enhancing economic, investment, and trade cooperation between the two countries. Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, said in an interview with Asharq Al Awsat on Monday that Saudi Arabia is one of India's most trusted and valued strategic partners. He said the ties between the two countries are 'rooted in a rich tapestry of civilizational, cultural, and commercial connections that date back centuries. 'In recent years, the relationship has grown exponentially, evolving into a robust Strategic Partnership that spans key sectors — politics, defense, security, trade, investment, energy, technology, health, education, and culture'. He pointed to the 'landmark State Visit of the Honorable Prime Minister to the Kingdom in April 2025 was a true reflection of this deepening bond. The Prime Minister of India and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had highly productive engagements in Jeddah, resulting in key outcomes — including the agreement on establishment of two India-Saudi joint venture refineries in India, and MoUs in Health, Postal cooperation, Space cooperation and Sports (anti-doping)'. 'The second leaders meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) was also co-chaired by the two leaders during this visit. The Council reviewed the work of the various committees, subcommittees and working groups under the SPC, which encompass political, defense, security, trade, investment, energy, technology, agriculture, culture and people-to-people ties. The discussions were followed by signing of the minutes by the two leaders. To reflect the deepening of the strategic partnership over the past few years the Council decided to create two new ministerial committees under the SPC; one on Defense Cooperation and another on Tourism and Cultural Cooperation'. The Ambassador went on to say that 'India and Saudi Arabia are not only consolidating a dynamic partnership but also charting a bold vision for the future. Together, we are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping peace, progress, and prosperity at both regional and global levels'. On the most important areas of economic, investment, and trade cooperation between the two countries, he said: 'As the fastest-growing G-20 economies, India and Saudi Arabia are natural economic partners. Our partnership is vital not just for our own prosperity, but also for the resilience and stability of the global economy, particularly at a time of global uncertainty. 'Trade and investment form the economic backbone of our relationship,' he stated, 'both countries have built strong institutional frameworks including a Ministerial Committee on Trade, Economy, Investment, and Technology, and a High-Level Task Force on Investment co-chaired by HRH the Saudi Energy Minister and India's Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. Our economic visions — Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia and India's Viksit Bharat 2047 — complement each other, creating vast synergies for growth'. On the volume of trade exchange and its growth rate, the Indian Ambassador stated: 'India-Saudi Arabia trade has witnessed impressive growth in recent years. In FY 2024–25, bilateral trade touched approximately USD 42 billion. India is now Saudi Arabia's second-largest trading partner, while the Kingdom ranks fifth for India. He went on to say: 'Trade has diversified significantly. India exports engineering goods, rice, chemicals, vehicles, textiles, food products, and gems & jewelry to the Kingdom. On the other hand, we import crude oil, LPG, fertilizers, plastics, and chemicals from Saudi Arabia. There is a strong momentum to further expand trade — especially in promising sectors like pharmaceuticals, processed food, advanced manufacturing, gems and jewelry, and high-value engineering goods. 'A prospective Free Trade Agreement between India and the GCC would be a game-changer — unlocking even greater potential for trade and investment'. He noted that 'India's private sector has embraced Saudi Arabia as a hub of opportunity. Indian businesses are actively exploring the Saudi market, especially in light of the transformational opportunities offered under Vision 2030. The number of licensed Indian companies in the Kingdom surged from 400 in 2019 to over 2,900 by 2023, with a large quantum of investments. Many Indian companies have shifted their regional headquarters to Saudi Arabia and a number of them are participating in Iktiva program of Aramco. 'Indian companies are contributing significantly to mega and giga projects under Vision 2030 — spanning civil infrastructure, energy, power transmission, oil & gas, renewable energy, and more. Our technology firms are also playing a central role in the digital transformation of Saudi Arabia. There is increasing interest from Indian businesses in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, logistics, mining, minerals, MSMEs, and startups — all sectors vital to both economies' future. 'This is truly a two-way street. Saudi companies too have vast opportunities to invest in India's transformation into a developed economy — especially in infrastructure, logistics, renewable energy, health, and utilities. Saudi Arabia has committed to investing $100 billion in India. The growing corporate synergy between our two countries will be a cornerstone of the bilateral partnership going forward'. On the latest developments in the India–Saudi Arabia electricity interconnection project, Dr. Khan said that 'Energy has long been a pillar of India–Saudi Arabia relations. As India powers ahead toward becoming a developed economy by 2047, our energy needs will grow — and Saudi Arabia remains a reliable and strategic partner in meeting them. But the future is green. India has set an ambitious target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, and we're actively collaborating with Saudi Arabia on clean and sustainable energy — including solar, wind, and hydrogen. 'One exciting area of cooperation is electrical grid interconnectivity. An MoU was signed in 2023 on Electrical Interconnections, Green Hydrogen, and Supply Chains, during MENA Climate Week. We're jointly exploring the technical and commercial viability of connecting our power grids. This initiative also complements the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) launched in 2023, which envisions a more integrated, sustainable, and secure regional energy network. As we advance, energy connectivity will become a major lever of strategic alignment between our two nations', he concluded.
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia and Syria sign pact to promote and protect investment
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Investment Eng. Khalid Al-Falih and Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry Dr. Mohammad Nidal Al-Shaar have signed an agreement to promote and protect investment between the two countries. The pact was inked on the sidelines of a roundtable meeting that began in Riyadh on Monday morning. Senior Saudi and Syrian officials emphasized that the agreement is the culmination of ongoing efforts to activate strategic partnerships and expand the base of joint investments. It aims to create an attractive legal and investment environment as well as to provide practical frameworks that guarantee investment protection. This would also facilitate the flow of capital, contributing to the development of vital sectors including industry, services, infrastructure, and tourism. Speaking on the occasion, Al-Falih said that the agreement falls within the Kingdom's vision to strengthen its economic partnerships with Arab countries and create promising investment opportunities. He noted that the signing of the agreement with Syria reflects the trend toward sustainable cooperation that supports the stability and prosperity of the region. Al-Shaar considered the signing of the agreement as a qualitative shift in the course of economic relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia, as well as opening up broad horizons for fruitful investment cooperation that achieves mutual benefit and strengthens fraternal ties between the two peoples. He highlighted the importance of the Saudi role in supporting the economic recovery process in Syria. A high-level Syrian delegation, led by Minister Al-Shaar, arrived in Riyadh on an official visit aimed at strengthening economic ties between the two countries. The visit follows the outcomes of last month's Saudi-Syrian Investment Forum, which was held in Damascus under the patronage of Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and brought together over 100 Saudi companies and 20 Saudi government entities. The forum concluded with the signing of 47 investment agreements in key sectors valued at over SR24 billion.
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Swedish delegation to visit Karachi as firms eye Pakistan garment exports — commerce ministry
ISLAMABAD: A Swedish business delegation will soon be visiting Pakistan's commercial capital of Karachi to explore investment opportunities in the garment sector, the Pakistani commerce ministry said on Monday. The statement came after Swedish Ambassador to Pakistan Alexandra Berg von Linde's meeting with Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan at his office in Islamabad to discuss bilateral trade, investment opportunities and areas of mutual collaboration. Pakistan, currently bolstered by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, has been making efforts to boost trade and foreign investment as it treads a long path to sustainable economic growth. The commerce ministry said the ambassador acknowledged Pakistan's reputation in textile exports as both sides reviewed avenues to strengthen economic cooperation, noting that Swedish buyers consider Pakistani products among the best in the world. 'Swedish small and medium-sized enterprises are eager to explore opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in the garment sector,' the ministry said, citing Sweden's envoy. 'A Swedish business delegation is expected to visit Karachi soon to interact with local manufacturers and explore export opportunities.' Pakistan and Sweden enjoy longstanding and cordial relations. Sweden was the first Scandinavian country to establish diplomatic relations with Pakistan in 1949. Over the years, the two sides have developed multifaceted and fruitful cooperation especially in trade, economy, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges. The bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and Sweden touched $288.8 million in fiscal year 2023-2024, with Pakistan's exports to Sweden amounting to $149.4 million and imports to $129.4 million, according to the Pakistani foreign office. During the meeting, Khan highlighted Pakistan's potential in information technology (IT) and technical education, mining, surgical goods and sports equipment, noting that Swedish companies could greatly benefit from investing in these sectors. For the first time in Pakistan's history, the government plans to gradually reduce import tariffs, which will be brought down to 15–20 percent within the next five years, according to the minister. The policy aims to support exports while allowing imports of quality products not available domestically, enabling value addition before re-export. Khan further underscored that more than 40 Swedish companies, including global brands such as H&M and IKEA, are already sourcing from Pakistan and invited greater Swedish investment in renewable energy, sustainable manufacturing, IT and infrastructure, encouraging Sweden's participation in upcoming trade events such as Food and Agriculture Exhibition in Pakistan in Nov. 2025. 'Both sides identified mining, renewable energy, green technologies, vocational training, and skill development as areas for future collaboration,' Khan's ministry said. 'The minister emphasized Pakistan's large pool of skilled youth, especially in health care, where Pakistani professionals could help meet shortages in Europe, including nursing staff.'
