Pakistan is intensifying efforts to strengthen ties with the United States, this time proposing a major infrastructure project in the strategically vital Arabian Sea. Following collaborations in cryptocurrency and rare minerals, Islamabad has extended an audacious offer for American investors to develop and operate a port in the coastal town of Pasni, Balochistan. This move, detailed in a Financial Times report, is seen as a bid to please Washington and advance Pakistan’s geopolitical and economic interests.
Pakistan is leaving no stone unturned to curry favor with the US. According to media reports, close aides to Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir have pitched the idea of building and managing a port on the Arabian Sea to US officials. The Arabian Sea’s strategic importance has sparked widespread discussions about the potential implications of this proposal.
Proposal for Port Development in Pasni, Balochistan
The Financial Times, citing a blueprint reviewed by the newspaper, claims that advisers to Munir approached US officials with plans for a port in Pasni, a town in Balochistan’s Gwadar district bordering Afghanistan and Iran. The initiative would allow US investors to construct and operate a terminal, granting access to Pakistan’s critical minerals like copper and antimony. Currently a modest fishing hub, Pasni could transform into a key export point for these resources.
This proposal emerged after a September meeting at the White House between Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and US President Donald Trump. The plan has been shared with select US officials, emphasizing commercial benefits over military use—no US bases are envisioned. Instead, Pakistan seeks US funding for a rail corridor linking the port to mineral-rich western provinces, enhancing connectivity and trade.
Is This a Concern for India?
Pakistan frames the offer as a trade booster, but its strategic undertones are hard to ignore. Long-standing suspicions about Pakistan’s intentions toward India add layers of scrutiny. Developing Pasni could bolster Pakistan’s dominance in the Arabian Sea, where it already operates major ports like Karachi and China-backed Gwadar, alongside smaller facilities. Pasni’s upgrade aims to expand Pakistan’s footprint in this vital waterway.
India imports much of its crude oil from Arab nations via routes through the Arabian Sea, making any shift in regional power dynamics a potential worry. A stronger Pakistani presence here could indirectly challenge India’s energy security and maritime interests, though the proposal explicitly avoids military elements.
Why the Arabian Sea Matters Strategically
Nestled north of India’s dominant Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea is bordered by Pakistan, Iran, the Gulf of Oman, and the Gulf of Aden. It serves as a gateway to the Arabian Peninsula and has been a historic trade lifeline. Rich in oil and natural gas, the sea hosts major ports and naval bases from various nations, acting as a transit hub for Asia, West Asia, and Africa. Pakistan’s outreach to the US in this arena underscores shifting global politics, potentially countering China’s influence via Gwadar while opening doors for US-Pakistan economic collaboration.
Neither the US State Department nor Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has commented yet, leaving the proposal’s fate uncertain. If pursued, it could reshape South Asian geopolitics, blending economic incentives with strategic maneuvering.
