ISLAMABAD (TDI): Pakistan and Oman have taken another step toward closer maritime cooperation, as senior naval leaders from both countries met in Islamabad to discuss regional security challenges and signed an agreement to share information on commercial shipping movements.
Rear Admiral Saif Bin Nasser Bin Mohsin Al Rahbi, Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman, met Pakistan’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad.
The meeting covered issues of shared concern, including regional maritime security and avenues for strengthening bilateral naval cooperation.
The Omani naval chief praised the Pakistan Navy’s high level of professionalism and recognized its sustained role in promoting maritime security and stability across the region.
As part of the visit, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing coordination through the exchange of “white shipping” information, a term used for sharing advance details about the identity and movement of non-military commercial vessels.
Such information helps improve maritime domain awareness and enables countries to better identify and respond to potential threats along busy sea routes.
According to the Pakistan Navy, the agreement establishes clear guidelines and procedures for information sharing, strengthening mutual awareness and contributing to safer and more secure maritime activity in the region.
The meeting also highlighted the longstanding professional ties between the Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman, which include regular staff-level talks, joint training programs, bilateral and multilateral exercises, and port visits.
Pakistan and Oman share close geographical proximity and common maritime boundaries, factors that have long underpinned strong defense cooperation between the two countries.
Their broader bilateral relationship spans economic collaboration, people-to-people contacts and defense ties.
Earlier this month, an Omani naval flotilla visited Karachi to participate in the Thamar Al Tayyib (TAT) 2025 exercise, part of a bilateral drill series that has been conducted regularly since 1980 and reflects decades of naval cooperation between the two countries.
The latest agreement is expected to further deepen coordination at sea and reinforce joint efforts to ensure the safety of commercial shipping in the region.
Minahil Khurshid holds a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from CIPS, NUST. She has a strong interest in current affairs, geopolitics, and policy analysis.
