Marka-e-Haq Pakistan Hamesha Zindabad Ham Hen BunyanumMarsoos 1st COMMEMORATION 10 MAY 2026: MESSAGES from ADMIRAL NAVEED ASHRAF NI, NI(M), TBT

Chief of the Naval Staff

Officers, Sailors and the resilient people of Pakistan, as we commemorate the Victory Day, we thank Allah SWT and reflect upon a defining moment in our national history, the May 2025 conflict, where Pakistan Armed Forces demonstrated unwavering resolve against unwarranted aggression by India. Pakistan Navy, throughout the conflict, stood as nation’s sentinel in the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea.

In the lead-up to the conflict, Indian Navy made numerous attempts to deploy its naval units in the North Arabian Sea with the objective, rooted in a false sense of superiority, to threaten our maritime infrastructure, disrupt our maritime trade and strangle our economic lifelines. However, they underestimated the resolve, strategic foresight, combat capabilities and operational readiness of Pakistan Navy. Our surveillance network ensured comprehensive and round the clock maritime domain awareness. As the adversary deployed its naval assets, our long-range maritime patrol assets and networked capabilities detected and tracked their every move. When an Indian P-8I aircraft attempted to approach our air space, it was promptly picked up, intercepted and forced to retreat. The enemy aircraft earner, after briefly adopting a forward posture, receded deep into the ocean and remained at a standoff distance from our coast — well outside the strike range of our weapon systems, within its ’perceived safe zone’. Their pride, INS VIKRANT did not close in, sensing the risk to its survival and credibility, had it ventured closer within our strike zone. This operational agility maintained continuous deterrence at sea.

Pakistan Navy’s employment strategy and layered defence, ensured that our sea lines of communication remained uninterrupted and untouched. While commercial activity on the western coast of India suffered considerable disruptions, our ports of Karachi, Bin Qasim and Gwadar remained fully functional, with commercial shipping entering and exiting without any hiatuses. The arteries of our national economy remained safe and unimpeded with smooth flow of seaborne trade and energy. This was not merely a military success; it was a strategic victory. With Allah SWT’s blessings and the professionalism of nation’s sea sentinels, we were able to decisively deter the adversary during Marka-e-Haq 2025. To deter the enemy, and if need be, to fight and win future wars we are alive to the changes shaping maritime security environment and adapting to evolving character of warfare.

The future battle space is transforming at an unprecedented pace and scale. As the security environment in the Indian Ocean Region remains fluid and contested, we are acutely aware that the traditional domain centric warfare has given way to multi domain operations. Looking forward, we recognize that future conflicts will be won not just by firepower, but by forces that are intellectually astute, technologically superior, info-ops savvy and seamlessly integrated.

The induction of advanced platforms like Type 054A/P Frigates, Hangor Class Submarines with Air-Independent Propulsion and Jet LRMPs have further sharpened our combat edge. We are investing in emerging technologies, including autonomous unmanned systems assisted by AI decision support tools, space and cyber capabilities to keep pace with the requirements of future battle space. We are aligning our force structure and war plans to undertake multi-domain operations to generate cross-domain effects and ensure that we keep the adversary from any misadventure or even casting an evil eye on our territorial integrity and maritime interests.

To the nation, I reaffirm my pledge that Pakistan Navy remains fully capable to defend our maritime frontiers in line with our proud legacy, anytime and anywhere. We will not only maintain deterrence, but also dominate the maritime domain against any aggression in future, Insha Allah.

Pakistan Navy Zindabad!

Pakistan Paindabad!

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026