Italian Navy ship Morosini made a visit to the southern port city of Karachi, on Tuesday, to engage in a joint exercise with the Pakistan Navy, to strengthen interoperability between the two forces, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Navy.
The maritime exercise was strategically crafted to bolster the shared professional capabilities of both naval forces through the promotion of cooperation and the facilitation of a meaningful exchange of valuable insights and expertise, as highlighted in the statement.
Upon its arrival in Karachi, the Italian ship was welcomed with great warmth. Senior officials from the Pakistan Navy, along with the Italian Ambassador to Pakistan, Andreas Ferrarese, were present to receive the ship, the navy’s media wing said in Tuesday’s statement.
“On the completion of the port visit, Pakistan Navy Ship Shahjahan with an embarked helicopter and [Pakistan Air Force] fighters carried out a sea exercise with the visiting Italian ship to enhance interoperability between both navies,” the statement said.
Alongside the fleet, the director of military personnel for the Italian Navy Vice Admiral Andrea Gueglio also visited Pakistan. During his visit, Gueglio met Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Muhammad Faisal Abbasi, according to the statement.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest and avenues for future collaboration to enhance regional maritime security were discussed,” the statement said.
Naval exercises are planned military training activities carried out by the naval forces of different countries. They serve multiple objectives, such as enhancing the training and preparedness of naval personnel, promoting collaboration and compatibility among diverse naval fleets, and evaluating equipment and strategies. The joint exercises also deter potential adversaries, while simultaneously preparing the forces for crisis management.
Additionally, a group of people from Italian Defense Industries also visited Karachi. They were led by Chairman M/s Fincantieri, General (Retd) Claudio GRAZIANO, who used to be the top military person in Italy. They came to show off what Italy could do in terms of defense and building ships.