Naval Chief: Future Warfare Shaped in Indian Ocean Due to Trade Impact on Supply Chains & Energy Prices

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf stated on Thursday that the future of warfare is being shaped in the Indian Ocean due to its vast contribution to global trade. Any disruption could significantly impact global supply chains and energy prices, he warned.

At a two-day international conference titled “Emerging Technologies and the Future Warfare,” hosted by the Maritime Centre of Excellence (MCE) in Karachi, Admiral Ashraf emphasized the importance of collaboration between industry, end-users, and academia to drive innovation and operational relevance. He said such cooperation would promote indigenisation and self-reliance, helping build a cost-effective and globally competitive defence ecosystem for Pakistan with export potential.

The conference aimed to bring together maritime experts, academia, and defense industry representatives to discuss evolving geostrategic trends and the impact of technology on modern warfare. Admiral Ashraf highlighted the strategic significance of the Indian Ocean, noting that any disruption could have far-reaching consequences for economies linked to it.

The event concluded with a reaffirmation of the need for sustained intellectual collaboration to effectively navigate technology-driven transformations and harness future trends in warfare.