Pakistan Navy ships usher new era of cooperation among Pakistan, African nations.

The postmodern world holds navies as an effective instrument of foreign policy objectives; thus influencing country's foreign relations.

The navies are instrumental in shaping the relationships by overseas deployments, extending training facilities, providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and by holding bilateral and multilateral naval exercises, eventually strengthening friendly ties with an aim to open new vistas in their future collaborations.

The wide range of peacetime naval activities whose purpose is to influence the behaviour of another nation under the patronage of the foreign policy objectives is termed as naval diplomacy and Navy being its important instrument has gained importance primarily because of its main goal to prevent the war.

Therefore, the navies offer a wide range of diplomatic instruments for use in peace time. For instance Pakistan Navy Ships namely PNS MOAWIN and PNS ASLAT recent overseas deployment to Africa indubitably has opened new era of cooperation and goodwill among Pakistan and the African nations.

Pakistan Navy Ships recently visited Tanzania, which has a large Pakistani-descent population and is the largest and most populous country in East Africa along the Indian Ocean. Therefore, there exists a genuine need to expand trade, cultural, educational, economic and diplomatic ties with this country.

Moreover, Pakistan Navy footprints in Tanzania and particularly in East Africa hold much significance also for it is the fastest growing region. Keeping in view the significance, India also has adopted an expansive maritime strategy in recent years, driven by great power ambitions to expand its maritime capabilities in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).

India is enterprising its successful diaspora vis-a-vis Indian Navy enhanced emphasis on securing key maritime 'chokepoints' at the entrances to the Indian Ocean around Africa (including the Mozambique Channel), the Arabian Peninsula (including the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb) and the straits connecting the Indian. Thus in this milieu it has become imperative for Pakistan to have enhanced engagement with the African nations.

Historically, Pakistan has enjoyed cordial relations with Tanzania. Pakistan was maintaining a resident Mission in Dar Es Salaam since 1967. However, the Mission was closed due to financial constraints in 2000 and our Mission in Kenya was assigned concurrent accreditation. However, it was re-opened in 2009 and downgraded to a...