India, Pakistan Navies Hold Separate Drills Arabian Sea August 11-12

India and Pakistan are scheduled to conduct separate naval firing drills in the Arabian Sea on August 11 and 12, with their exercises taking place within approximately 60 nautical miles of each other, marking a rare proximity for such military activities. These drills come amid heightened tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India's retaliatory Operation Sindoor in early May, which involved coordinated military strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan. The Indian Navy will conduct its exercises off the coasts of Porbandar and Okha in Gujarat, while Pakistan will carry out drills within its territorial waters. Both countries have issued advisories to maritime traffic to avoid the designated firing zones during their respective exercises. The timing and closeness of these drills highlight increased naval activity and strategic posturing in the Arabian Sea, a region critical to both nations' maritime security interests. Additionally, India had previously objected to a planned Pakistan-Sri Lanka naval exercise in the strategic waters of Sri Lanka, underscoring the sensitive nature of regional maritime security dynamics.