Sarah Khan
Recent trends in international politics involving major shifts at
regional and international level are indicative of transition in global world
order. There is a renewed focus on Asia and to be more accurate Asia Pacific.
US, China and Russia are seeking new alliances, defense cooperation and
economic cooperation with likeminded small regional states. So called
non-aligned India has started to blindly bandwagon US in order to achieve
strategic equilibrium with a key regional player China which is far more ahead
of India in terms of military technology and economic prosperity. India’s blind
bandwagoning of US has also annoyed Russia. Though, US have emerged as super
power of the World after end of cold war but US-Russia ties have always
remained competitive. So far, Russia remains main obstacle of America in
pursuance of its goal in Middle East.
Foregoing in view, China and Russia, two key international players
challenging US hegemony are seeking close diplomatic, defense and economic
cooperation with Pakistan. Pakistan holds key geo-strategic location with one
of the most professional Armed Forces in the region. Pakistan’s possession of
Gwadar, the only deep sea port in the region, have enhanced Pakistan’s
importance manifold. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a project of One-Belt
One Road (OBOR), will be a major game changer in the realm of economy in the
region. Other states like Iran and Afghanistan are also showing interest in the
said economic activity.
The
Russian renaissance in global political affairs, with a strategic design of
balancing of force in the Putin era, has been shaping new contours in
international politics that could provide a favorable environment for improving
Russia’s overall relations with Pakistan. Russia
is also seeking close bilateral ties with Pakistan. The recent Pak-Russia
military exercise in Pakistan is indicative of growing Russian interests in
Pakistan.
Pakistan
– Russia collaboration started with a milestone military cooperation pact when
the Russian defence minister, after 45 years, paid an official visit to
Pakistan in December 2014. Another landmark was achieved with a $2 billion
inter-governmental deal between the two countries for the construction of a gas
pipeline from Lahore to Karachi in October 2015. In the same year, Moscow
agreed to sell four Mi-35M helicopters to Pakistan and welcomed Islamabad when
it joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s
defence minister, visited Moscow to enhance further cooperation.
This
year, Russian Army Commander-in-Chief Oleg Salyukov announced the first-ever
“mutual special drills in mountainous terrain”. The
first-ever joint military Friendship-2016 began on September 24 and concluded
on October 10. Around 70 Russian soldiers and officers along with some 130
Pakistani counterparts took part in the war games called the Friendship-2016.
The name is a symbolical reference to the old Cold War tensions between Moscow
and Islamabad, which the two capitals are now trying to overcome. These recent engagements between Russia and Pakistan amid
changing geo-political and geo-strategic milieu along with evolving
inter-regional economic prospects and emerging threats to regional stability
have steered both countries to define a new era of friendship.
A
structured mechanism between the two countries could provide a framework to
collaborate in the areas of defence, trade, investment, science, technology,
agriculture, education and culture. In contemporary times, Russian actions have
underscored the hardcore realities of the region, for instance, combating
illicit drug trafficking in Afghanistan, improving relations with Pakistan
while realising its geo-strategic importance, and preventing the emergence of
the IS threat and the overflow of the Taliban insurgency from Afghanistan to
the Central Asian Republics (CARs) and to its own territories.
Russia might too eventually like to seek some
long lasting partnership with Pakistan and may become in some way become part
of the CPEC. This leads one to visualize another possible realignment of
relations and emergence of Russia-Pakistan-China Nexus. Pak-Russian relations
are still at a burgeoning stage and will take time to evolve. For longstanding relations, one paramount
consideration for both sides is to comprehend emerging realities in the region
and accordingly coordinate and cooperate for a prosperous future. Mutual
concordance among Pakistan – China – Russia will augment well for overarching
role of these states in regional and international political landscape by
countering emerging alliances of US and India in the decades ahead.
The writer can be reached at
ardent.jingo@gmail.com
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