The interconnectedness of nations has globalized the maritime affairs, increasing its significance more than ever. The advancing activities conducted via sea routes have their perks as well as cons when it comes to geostrategic significance and security in terms of national and international waters. One of such efforts is the IMX 22, a Multi-national maritime exercise under the U.S Naval Force Central Command (NAVCENT) determined to provide tools for promoting regional and global peace and security. The aim of IMX 22 is to maintain freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce throughout the region’s diverse maritime environment. IMX 22 provides a noteworthy opportunity for Pakistan Navy to contribute towards maritime security and to enhance interoperability with regional navies while mitigating non-traditional threats prevalent in maritime environment. In addition to providing naval assets, Pakistan Navy has also assumed duties of Deputy Commander for the exercise. However, the United States invitation to Israel for joining the exercise has got many to speculate the unnecessary prospects of Pakistan and Israel’s collaboration.
Pakistan is a zealous contributor to the maritime security. It has not just participated in international exercises such as CTF but also has hosted an exercise AMAN in order to counter the growing maritime threats all the while being applauded to bring nations together. IMX 22 has been initiated to deter the illicit activities in the region.
IMX 2022 is an 18-day biyearly naval training event led by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. It combines with exercise Cutlass Express (CE) led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa in East African coastal regions and the West Indian Ocean.
The exercise includes combined training of 9,000 personnel and up to 50 ships from more than 60 partner nations and international organizations. IMX 2022 is not only the largest multinational naval exercise in the Middle East but also the largest unmanned maritime exercise in the world with more than 80 unmanned systems from 10 nations participating. Task Force X is dedicated as the unmanned Task Force which leads the unmanned systems and works across the other task force commanders through a series of 14 plans serial, also known as training scenarios.
The unique feature of the exercise is the unmanned assets which mean the exercise will include aircrafts (UAVs) which do not require any manpower and will be used in terms of show of strength, to distribute and to share the artificial intelligence and data collection weapons with the participating countries. So far nothing has been revealed as of which 10 countries will be bringing the unmanned systems but the U.S has revealed several of its unmanned assets which will be included in the exercise such as the Devil Ray T-38, Triton, Switchblade 300, Ghost 4, wave Glider Mantas T-12 and other assets used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance for staging and deploying other unmanned weapons, including recorders and some of them are designed for mine countermeasures, search and recovery, rapid environmental assessment, hydrographic survey, renewables, marine archaeology, offshore oil and gas and anti-submarine warfare.
Pakistan is esteemed to be a part of IMX 22 as the deputy commander. Such opportunities do not come time and again for Pakistan to develop its global image worthwhile. Since Pakistan has been untiringly dedicated to the maritime security, the participation in the exercise will only help portray its greater image and rectify its historical contributions of spreading peace. In the meantime, its participation is raising the question of its collaboration with Israel.
International organisations work towards collective good and therefore no state has any plans for further collaborations. The participation in IMX 22 will not bring forward any collaboration between the two countries. Participating in international coalitions have never been a platform to bring countries together unwillingly. One such example is the United Nations. The United Nations has so many member states including Israel and the country’s other nemesis which has not affected any of Pakistan’s involvement whatsoever. Such international coalitions aim for countries to co-exist and fight for commonly faced illicit activities. So is the purpose of the IMX 22.
While having a conversation with the Naval expert, he stated, “We cannot put ourselves into isolation”. IMX 22 is solely dedicated to securing the region from the non-traditional threats present in the regional waters. In order to stop illicit activities such as piracy, smuggling arms and ammunitions, drug, and human trafficking and to secure the energy lines, every country in the region is assigned with the role of a Policeman by the United States. The Naval experts also highlighted that the type of participation Israel is supposed to have in the exercise is still not mentioned. Even so, their activity area will be the red sea whereas in the exercise Pakistan’s area of concern will be the Arabian sea. Both the countries will be present in the exercise but will be participate in different groups based on their own area of concern. Also, it is not just Pakistan, but many Muslim countries are a part of the exercise such as Bahrain where the headquarter of the exercise is based, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt, Bangladesh, and many other countries falling in the region. All these countries share a similar interest of protecting ad securing the maritime environment close to their region from non-traditional threats.
Questions have been surfacing whether or not Pakistan should be a part of the exercise. The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and the Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen. Pakistan is a vertical state with its feet in the Arabian Sea. The geostrategic significance of the country is such that with Gwadar and Gomera, all the important energy and oil transport takes place through the Arabian Sea. Not only is the country politically consequential but its sea routes are equally crucial and need to be secured. With such exceptional positioning, Pakistan is also in an revered position as the deputy commandant of the U.S IMX 22 which gives more reason for its participation. If the participation is given up, the position of deputy commandant may fall upon any of Pakistan’s nemesis which may create further tensions for the country’s very own maritime security.
In conversation with the Naval Expert on the matter of Pakistan and Israel medaling shoulders in the exercise, he stated, “Participation of Pakistan Navy has no regional or religious connotations, nor does it hold any influence on changing the foreign policy of the country by participating in IMX 22. Pakistan Navy will continue to maintain its historical role as provider of maritime security and torch bearer of peace in the region.”
Policies are not decided by Navies, they are brought into legislation by the government. Navies are responsible for maintaining a safe and secure maritime environment. As IMX 22 is about to begin, we wish for Pakistan’s outstanding contribution in the exercise and for it to continue raising flags of peace and maritime security in the region.
