U.S.-Pakistan Naval Track II Strategic Dialogue 2016 Report

Abstract

With support from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the Center on Contemporary Conflict (CCC) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) organized the inaugural U.S.-Pakistan Naval Track II Strategic Dialogue on October 17-18, 2016. This two- day dialogue began the engagement of retired senior naval officers from the United States and Pakistan in a candid bilateral strategic dialogue on both long-standing and emerging security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), especially the changing maritime dynamics in the North Arabian Sea. This dialogue fostered a deeper understanding of Pakistani and American thinking on naval and maritime issues, particularly the implications of the introduction of sea-based nuclear weapons for strategic stability in the region and beyond. During this workshop, senior retired military officers from both countries discussed three broad clusters of issues: Peacetime/Status Quo Issues; Conventional Conflict Issues; and Nuclear Issues.