The Indian military began its exercises in the Arabian Sea on May 8, while the Pakistani military is set to start drills in Gwadar from May 9; both forces will conduct exercises facing each other for four consecutive days.
As hostilities between India and Pakistan continue to rise following a series of aerial strikes, the two nations’ navies are now preparing to conduct parallel military exercises in dangerously proximity. The Indian Navy commenced its drills in the Arabian Sea on May 8, with the exercises set to continue until May 13. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Navy is launching its drills from May 9, stretching from Gwadar to Karachi, and scheduled to run through May 12.
For a four-day period, both navies will operate virtually face-to-face, with just 60 kilometres separating their operational zones. Defence analysts have expressed concern that such close-range exercises by two hostile neighbours could lead to unintended confrontations or miscalculations in an already fragile regional environment.
These naval manoeuvres come on the heels of intense airstrikes and cross-border skirmishes. The Indian Air Force successfully intercepted and neutralized all incoming missile and drone attacks launched by Pakistan. In retaliatory strikes, India destroyed multiple Pakistani air defence systems across several cities. Notably, India also downed a Pakistani AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft, a critical asset for detecting aerial threats, significantly crippling Pakistan’s surveillance capabilities.
Additionally, the Line of Control (LoC) and other border areas have witnessed heavy exchange of fire, resulting in considerable damage on the Pakistani side. India has maintained that its operations are targeted at terrorist infrastructure and are calibrated to avoid escalation, but persistent ceasefire violations by Pakistan have made the situation increasingly volatile.
With both air and naval forces now engaged and tensions running high, the international community has renewed its calls for restraint and dialogue between the nuclear-armed neighbours. The United States, in particular, has urged both countries to avoid further escalation and focus on de-escalation through open channels of communication.
