SEA GUARDIANS: Bilateral Naval exercise between China & Pakistan

SEA GUARDIANS: Bilateral Naval exercise between China & Pakistan

Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II- International Affairs

In News

• This is the sixth joint naval exercise between china and Pakistan, but it is the first time that the exercise was named “sea guardians.”
• It was held in the northern Arabian Sea, with the purpose of enhancing security cooperation between the two countries.
• The North Arabian Sea is regarded strategically significant for China which is now developing Pakistan’s deep water Gwadar port there as a part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC) Project of China’s Belt & Road initiative
• The Gwadar is also located close to Iran’s Chabahar Port being jointly developed by Iran, India and Afghanistan to ensure a trade corridor for Indian exports to Afghanistan.
• Sea guardians is expected to become a series of naval exercises with Pakistan, similar to the ‘warrior’ series of joint land exercises and the shaheen series of joint air exercises.