The Indian Navy is set to hold naval exercises in the Arabian Sea on August 11 and 12, according to defence sources cited by ANI. Around the same time, the Pakistan Navy issued its own Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) announcing maritime drills in its territorial waters. The simultaneous activity highlights rising military manoeuvres in the Arabian Sea — a critical corridor for global maritime trade and a strategically sensitive zone for both nations.
This development follows closely on the heels of a tense military standoff between India and Pakistan in May. The confrontation began after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which led India to launch retaliatory strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. Pakistan responded with drone and missile attacks, prompting counterstrikes by Indian defence forces on 11 Pakistani air bases.
The escalation lasted until May 10, when both nations agreed to cease firing along the Line of Control and halt further military action. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a recent parliamentary debate on Operation Sindoor, revealed that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations had appealed for a ceasefire. “They said, ‘Bahut maara, ab jyada maar jhelne ki takat nahi hai’,” Modi recounted, emphasising that the plea underscored the impact of India’s actions.
Describing Operation Sindoor as a decisive response, Modi detailed how the operation was executed overnight between May 6 and 7, lasting only 22 minutes but achieving its goal of avenging the April 22 attack. He also claimed that Pakistan issued nuclear threats ahead of India’s retaliation, which did not deter New Delhi’s response.
The Prime Minister outlined three strategic lessons from the operation: India will respond to terrorist attacks on its own terms and timing, nuclear threats will no longer act as a deterrent, and governments supporting terrorism will be treated the same as the terrorists themselves.
The upcoming parallel naval exercises add a fresh layer of tension to a maritime region already shaped by recent hostilities and long-standing geopolitical rivalry.
