The impact of Pakistan-Turkey maritime cooperation on regional peace

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is not solely to shed light on the maritime cooperation between Pakistan and Turkey but also to analyse whether it has any impact on regional peace. Ergo, this research deals with a crucial question, what effect does Pakistan-Turkey maritime cooperation have on regional peace? In order to answer this question, this study uses the balance of power theory. Pakistan ought to balance its naval power with that of its rival India in order to accomplish peace and prosperity in the region. At present, the two countries are asymmetrical in terms of military power. Since 1947, they have fought four wars, which have seriously affected the peace of the entire region. To acquire regional peace and prosperity, Islamabad and Ankara have gone beyond religious, political, and cultural relations and turned to maritime cooperation. Turkey has become Pakistan's second-largest arms export partner, exporting modern submarines, frigates, destroyers, and other equipment over the past 20 years. Since 9/11, they have held numerous bilateral and multilateral naval exercises to deal with any form of maritime security threat.

KEYWORDS:

• Pakistan-Turkey
• maritime security
• naval cooperation
• India-Pakistan
• regional peace

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

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Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rahat Shah

Rahat Shah is a PhD student of Global Studies, in School of Liberal Arts, at Shanghai University, Shanghai, PR China. His research delves into Pakistan's foreign policy, particularly its relationship with Turkey, the security landscape of the Indo-Pacific region, and the application of International Relations theories to these areas. Rahat's insightful analyses have been published in well-respected, double-blind peer-reviewed international journals. He further contributes to the field by serving as a reviewer for academic publications.

Ma Xiaolin

Ma Xiaolin is a Senior Professor (Dean) at Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim (ISMR), Zhejiang International Studies University, Hangzhou, China.