Pakistan’s New Somalia Strategy: Is Islamabad Eyeing A Bigger Role In The Indian Ocean?

Pakistan appears to be expanding its strategic footprint beyond South Asia, with Somalia emerging as a new focus. Islamabad signed a defence cooperation agreement with Mogadishu covering counter-terrorism, military training and capability building. The move came days before Pakistan joined Saudi Arabia and Turkey in a new collective security pact. Somalia’s location near the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and western Indian Ocean gives it major strategic importance. Pakistan could potentially gain influence through military training, defence exports and security cooperation, while Saudi and Turkish backing could add financial and technological weight. But security challenges, funding constraints and regional rivalries could test Islamabad’s ambitions.