Pakistan has issued a naval navigational warning announcing live firing exercises in the northern Arabian Sea, with the drills scheduled to begin on Sunday, November 3, and continue through November 5. The zone earmarked for Pakistan’s drills overlaps with the area where India is currently conducting a major tri-services military exercise, marking a rare instance of simultaneous operations in contiguous maritime territories. While the overlap is largely geographical—given that Pakistan’s maritime boundaries are directly adjacent to India’s—the situation highlights the need for careful coordination to avoid potential incidents.

The Hydrographer of Pakistan released NAVAREA IX 514/25 on Saturday, officially notifying mariners about the exercises. The alert stated that the drills would involve surface and sub-surface firing by Pakistan Navy warships in an area covering roughly 6,000 square kilometres. Mariners were advised to “keep well clear off exercise area” during the operations.

India’s ongoing exercise, named Trishul, began on October 31 and is slated to continue for two weeks. It is a large-scale tri-services drill conducted across multiple regions, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, and the northern Arabian Sea. Trishul involves tens of thousands of personnel, including army soldiers, naval warships, submarines, fighter aircraft, tanks, artillery units, and other advanced weapons systems. According to Indian defence officials, the primary objective of the exercise is to enhance interoperability between the three services and refine integrated multi-domain operational capabilities.

Vice Admiral AN Pramod, Director General of Naval Operations, outlined that the Indian drills are designed to test the armed forces’ ability to conduct complex operations in a large, dynamic environment. “Amphibious operations are being executed using INS Jalashwa and other platforms. The exercise integrates air, land, maritime, cyber, and space domains to simulate real-world operational scenarios,” he said. Approximately 20-25 warships and 40 aircraft are participating in Trishul, under the coordination of the Western Naval Command, South Western Air Command, and the army’s Western Command.

The geographic overlap between the two exercises is particularly sensitive because it includes the Sir Creek sector, a 96-km disputed maritime strip separating Gujarat in India from Sindh province in Pakistan. The Sir Creek area has historically been a flashpoint in bilateral relations, with the last formal talks on the dispute occurring more than 13 years ago. Any military activity in this zone is therefore closely monitored by both sides.

While the simultaneous exercises have the potential for friction, experts suggest that professional military coordination is likely to prevent any unintended incidents. Damien Symon, a geo-intelligence researcher, noted that “although the areas geographically overlap, it is not uncommon for both militaries to conduct drills simultaneously. Coordination mechanisms and advance notifications typically ensure that operations proceed without confrontation.”

The timing of Pakistan’s naval announcement comes nearly six months after Operation Sindoor, India’s four-day military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Operation Sindoor involved coordinated strikes on terror and military installations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Following the operation, India strengthened its defensive posture along its western borders and maritime territories, signaling enhanced readiness for both land and naval contingencies.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier highlighted the strategic importance of Sir Creek, warning that any provocative action by Pakistan would be met with a decisive response. On October 2, he explicitly stated that India’s response would be “strong enough to alter the history and geography of the area,” a statement interpreted as a strong deterrent against any misadventure by Islamabad. Singh further noted last week that Pakistan was still recovering from the impact of the military actions undertaken during Operation Sindoor.

The current drills underscore the strategic emphasis both countries place on the Arabian Sea as a theater of operational readiness. For India, Trishul serves multiple purposes: refining joint operational capabilities, testing integration across the three armed services, and sending a clear signal of preparedness following the May confrontation. For Pakistan, the naval drills serve as a demonstration of maritime capabilities and a reminder of its own presence in the region, even amid a backdrop of recent military setbacks and strategic recalibrations.

Trishul, being India’s first major military exercise since Operation Sindoor, represents a deliberate effort to simulate real-world scenarios in which the armed forces might have to operate across multiple domains simultaneously. The inclusion of cyber and space elements alongside conventional land, air, and maritime units reflects the modern emphasis on integrated warfare capabilities. The exercises are also intended to assess the ability of Indian forces to coordinate in the high-tempo environment of multi-domain conflict, including amphibious operations, joint air-land-marine maneuvers, and rapid logistical support in contested zones.

The northern Arabian Sea, while remote, holds substantial strategic value for both nations due to its proximity to critical shipping lanes, offshore installations, and coastal infrastructure. It also serves as a potential flashpoint in case of escalation between the two neighbors. The overlapping exercises, therefore, not only highlight the operational preparedness of both navies but also the underlying geopolitical sensitivities that continue to shape Indo-Pak relations.

In sum, while Pakistan’s scheduled firing exercises in the northern Arabian Sea coincide with India’s ongoing Trishul drills, military analysts suggest that prior coordination and standard operating procedures are expected to prevent any miscalculations. Both countries maintain a cautious balance, demonstrating strength and readiness while avoiding direct confrontation in a contested maritime environment.

The situation serves as a reminder that the northern Arabian Sea remains a zone of strategic competition, where operational exercises are as much about capability demonstration and deterrence as they are about practical training. Observers note that the coming days will be closely monitored, with both exercises offering insights into the tactical and strategic evolution of India’s and Pakistan’s armed forces in the maritime domain.