In an exclusive interview with Global Defense Insight, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of Pakistan Navy, shares insights into Pakistan’s evolving maritime strategy, the Navy’s modernization roadmap, and the nation’s vision for a sustainable Blue Economy. As the country prepares to host Pakistan International Maritime Expo & Conference (PIMEC 2025), Admiral Ashraf discusses how the event symbolizes Pakistan’s growing maritime ambitions, its commitment to regional security, and its role in fostering global maritime cooperation.
Admiral, thank you for joining us. To begin, could you please tell us what PIMEC 2025 is all about and how significant it is for Pakistan?
At the onset, let me apprise you that PIMEC 2025 represent Pakistan’s commitment to promoting maritime awareness and unlocking the vast potential of our Blue Economy. It is a premier platform where global maritime stakeholders, governments, navies, industry and academia converge to explore collaborative avenues in technology, trade, maritime security and sustainability. For Pakistan, it is an opportunity to project our maritime potential and reinforce our vision of a secure, prosperous and inclusive maritime future.
In a rapidly evolving security landscape, how is the Pakistan Navy adapting its doctrine, force structure, and capabilities to stay ahead of emerging threats? Are key reforms currently underway?
The contemporary maritime environment is marked by hybrid threats, rapid technological shifts and intense competition in the Indian Ocean Region. To remain ahead of these challenges, Pakistan Navy is continually refining its doctrine, force structure and capabilities. Our doctrine now places greater emphasis on adaptability, information dominance, cyber and electronic warfare and the integration of unmanned and autonomous systems into main fleet operations.
Pakistan Navy has been successful in defending our maritime interests in recent conflict with India. We will keep working to further strengthen our existing capabilities and align our organizational structure as per modern dictates.
Pakistan regularly engages in joint maritime exercises with allies such as Turkey, China, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. Which core capabilities is the Navy prioritizing through these collaborations?
Joint exercises with allied and partner navies as provide opportunities to test and refine own operational concepts, enhance interoperability and learn from the experiences of each other. In AMAN 2025, for example, Pakistan Navy collaborated with partner nations’ to conduct complex multi-domain operations, enhancing coordination across surface, sub-surface and aerial platforms.
By leveraging platforms like AMAN, Pakistan Navy continues to enhance operational readiness, doctrinal sophistication and its capacity to conduct coordinated operations-thereby reinforcing both national defence and regional maritime security.
PIMEC 2025, jointly organized by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Pakistan Navy, aims to highlight national maritime potential and foster global partnerships. How does the Navy see this platform driving growth in Pakistan’s maritime sector and advancing its Blue Economy ambitions?
PIMEC 2025 represent Pakistan’s commitment to promoting maritime awareness and unlocking the vast potential of our Blue Economy. For Pakistan, it is an opportunity to project our maritime potential and reinforce our vision of a secure, prosperous and inclusive maritime future.
Pakistan International Maritime Expo & Conference (PIMEC) serves as a pivotal platform to highlight Pakistan’s maritime potential and advance our Blue Economy and academic initiatives By bringing together government agencies, industry leaders institutions, PIMEC enables the exploration of opportunities shipbuilding, port development, maritime logistics and resource management, thereby supporting economic growth and strategic maritime objectives.
Through government-to-government (G2G) and business-to-business (B2B) engagements. PIMEC aims to strengthen international cooperation, attract investment in Pakistan’s maritime sector and underscore Pakistan Navy’s commitment to sustainable development, maritime security and the growth of the Blue Economy.
Pakistan has played a central role in the Combined Maritime Forces, with notable leadership in CTF-150 & CTF-151, and has launched its own Regional Maritime Security Patrols (RMSP). In your view, what is Pakistan’s most vital contribution to collective maritime security efforts in the region?
First of all, thank you for recognizing Pakistan Navy’s efforts towards collaboration security framework of CMF. Pakistan Navy has long maritime cooperation tradition of with international navies and partners. We believe that the magnitude and diversity of threats and challenges in our region is such that no country has the wherewithal to tackle them alone. Therefore, collaborative maritime security has become an imperative for ensuring maritime security in the region. Our key principle is to keep the maritime environment safe against non-traditional threats and effectively contribute towards maintenance of vital sea lanes in the Arabian Sea, to our best abilities despite being a moderate Navy.
Beyond defence, how is the Pakistan Navy contributing to the sustainable development of the Blue Economy, particularly in areas like marine resource management, coastal infrastructure, and maritime education?
Our government has rightly realized the importance of blue economy for sustainable development and various initiatives underway to optimally exploit the potential in this domain. As far as Pakistan Navy is concerned, the navy is an enabler in this process of maritime economic development. We have been instrumental in supporting marine scientific research, protecting offshore resources and facilitating port and shipping security. Through platforms like PIMEC and collaborations with national and international stakeholders, we are pushing for integrated maritime governance, investment in coastal infrastructure and marine environmental protection. We believe the Blue Economy holds transformative potential for Pakistan’s economic future.
How does PIMEC serve as a bridge between navies, governments, academia, and industry both regionally and globally and what kinds of collaborations is Pakistan hoping to foster this year?
The Pakistan International Maritime Expo & Conference (PIMEC) serves as a vital platform Pakistan’s maritime potential, advance technological innovation and strengthen our Blue Economy initiatives. By bringing together government agencies, industry stakeholders and academic institutions, PIMEC helps highlight opportunities in shipbuilding, port development, maritime security and coastal resource management thereby supporting Pakistan’s long-term economic and strategic goals.
For Pakistan Navy, PIMEC is more than an exhibition. It is a forum to promote collaboration. Knowledge exchange and partnerships with international navies, maritime industries and research institutions. The event allows us to share expertise, explore joint ventures and foster professional linkages that enhance operational readiness and indigenous capacity-building.
Given Pakistan’s critical location in the Indian Ocean Region, the Navy has set its sights on becoming a credible blue-water force. What steps are being taken to enhance Pakistan’s maritime reach and readiness in the coming decade?
Pakistan’s geo-strategic location at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) naturally places great responsibility on our Navy. To evolve into a credible Blue Water force, Pakistan Navy is pursuing a balanced approach of modernization, indigenization and regional cooperation.
We are inducting modern surface and subsurface platforms, augmenting naval aviation and special operations forces and investing in Maritime Domain Awareness to ensure credible deterrence across the IOR. At the same time, emphasis on indigenous shipbuilding and technological advancements is enabling long-term self-reliance. Equally important is that Pakistan Navy remains an active contributor to collective maritime security through initiatives like Regional Maritime Security Patrols and participation in multinational exercises. This combination of capability enhancement cooperative engagement is central to our vision of maintaining a robust and credible posture in the region.
As we look ahead to PIMEC 2025, what final message would you like to share with participants, partners, and stakeholders in the global maritime domain?
I extend a warm welcome to all delegates, exhibitors and scholars to PIMEC 2025. I urge them to explore opportunities for collaboration and join hands for sustainable maritime growth. Together, let us chart a course towards a safer, more prosperous maritime future. Pakistan Navy remains committed to supporting this journey, today and beyond.
