KARACHI: Comman­der Logistics (COMLOG) and Director General (DG) Naval Research and Development Institute (NRDI), Rear Admiral Muhammad Sohail Arshad, has said that a comprehensive Maritime Policy has been finalised and is currently under discussion at the government level.

“This policy is being actively pursued by the Pakistan Navy and is expe­c­ted to receive approval in the near future,” he said while speaking at a meeting with the members of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Monday.

Alongside the policy framework, he added, several initiatives are underway to meaningfully engage the business and industrial community and encourage investment in the maritime sector.

Rear Admiral Arshad said the Pakistan Navy has recently approved a comprehensive Indigenisation Plan under which local industry will be extensively engaged.

Engineering firms and business houses will be provided opportunities to participate in the development of indigenous defence equipment, not only to enhance Pakistan’s defence capabilities but also to enable exports of locally manufactured products to international markets.

He said Pakistan Navy has successfully developed an Unma-nned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), partially produced using locally manufactured components. While one prototype has been completed, scaling up production requires industrial facilities and production lines, making private sector investment essential.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2025