Pakistan’s cosiness with US, China and Turkey aims to counter India in Indian Ocean

Pakistan is deepening ties with China, Turkey, and the US to enhance its strategic leverage against India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). As Turkey expands its military and economic influence in South Asia—particularly in Maldives and Pakistan—China appears to be “outsourcing” parts of its regional presence. Meanwhile, the US remains active through direct engagement and alliances like the Quad. Islamabad’s balancing act among these three powers reflects both opportunity and risk amid its economic instability. For India, this evolving triangular dynamic—where Pakistan plays one ally against the other—poses fresh strategic challenges in the IOR and South Asian geopolitics.