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.