12/12/2022
Pakistan-Turkey Maritime Partnership
Both Turkey and Pakistan have been tremendously blessed with idiosyncratic geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-economic locations on the globe. However, Turkey being situated in the crossroad of Asia and Europe, rimmed with Mediterranean, Marmara, and Black Seas, having closer proximity with strategically significant Bosporus strait, cherishes far higher geopolitical and strategic and economic edge than majority of the regional players. So Turkey is important for being gateway to the two worlds. By making optimum utilization of its location as a natural resource, and with its uniquely rich history, vibrant strategic culture and incredible human resource, Turkey has the potential and political will emerged on the world stage as an exceptional military, political and economic player.
As the world becomes globalized and more interdependent in the Twenty First Century, the nations that still have not seriously focused on developing upgraded maritime capabilities would tangibly lose the dividends as compared to the ones who have substantially done so. Majority of the world’s renowned military strategists attest the assertion that the nations that would build up their naval arm and gain maritime superiority over the competitors would be able to achieve the level of superpower and ultimately become the world rulers. Ostensibly, Turkey seems to have this realization and Pakistan always sees its interests converged with Turkey’s rise owing to their historically strengthened ideological bonds.
As Turkey now visualizes the world with a Grand Strategic prism in the wake of changing regional geopolitical and security architecture and an evolved global system, it is going through a notable transition to strengthen its ways and means to implement its strategic vision. In this regard, Maritime is the aspect which must be among the top priorities of the country. Here are presented some of the details of Turkey’s emerging maritime strategic imperatives:
1- Turkey’s Maritime Strategic Imperatives
An erstwhile a superpower during pre-World War-I Ottoman era, the Turkey of today struggles to regain its glory in accordance with the needs of the current globalized world order. Pakistanis associate themselves with Ottoman and now with Turkey as part of its reverence towards Caliphate.
With its strategic ends in front, and keeping in view the emerging geopolitical and geoeconomics imperatives, Turkey has vividly shifted its focus from traditionally a terrestrial nation to a modernized maritime power. Turkey has been working rapidly on various projects to modernize its naval arm. Development of Turkey’s first light aircraft carrier the TCG Anadolu, built by Turkey’s Sedef Shipyard in collaboration with a Spanish company Navantia is one of the cases to attest the claim. The development of the mini aircraft carrier was the first landmark achieved by Turkey in line with the nation’s aspirations for a strong-footed global naval standing. The aircraft carrier will possibly be deployed in the Black Sea, Aegean, and Mediterranean Sea boosting the country’s naval presence in the region. Moreover, some defense analysts dub the move towards Turkey’s “big power ambitions” and give indications of its deployment also in the far regions of Indian and Atlantic oceans.
So much so, a serious study conducted by Haifa University Maritime Policy & Strategy Research Center is very important which concludes that “Turkey is strongest maritime force in the region.” As per the said research, Ankara has developed multipurpose frigates and corvettes, armed by successfully tested Atmaca missiles. The study posits that Atmaca are “high-precision, long-range, surface-to-surface, precision strike anti-ship missile that can be integrated with patrol boats, frigates and corvettes,” adding that “Turkey produces its own weapons and military gear, including cruise missiles with a range of hundreds of kilometers. Overall, Ankara has been shifting to self-production of naval assets and relies on German expertise to build submarines and other vessels.”
Turkish Navy is progressing and modernizing very fast. Many analysts and studies are attesting the fact with the expansion of Turkey’s interests and foreign policy objectives, this realization is clearly descried that the Turkish leadership has optimum realization that their set goals cannot be achieved without possession of a modernized and powerful naval force. One of the recently conducted empirical studies posits that Turkey realizing that development of “a comprehensive naval force is a precondition for being a global power” highlights the country’s initiatives of “a large-scale investment projects in the maritime field.” The said research has pointed out no less than seven recent developments through which Turkey has practically expressed its will and capacity to emerge as a “real naval power” at the world stage.
A Turkish defence analyst has noted that Turkey maintains a “formal expeditionary bases” in Qatar, Somalia, northern Cyprus and Sudan along with “informal activities in Tripoli, Libya.” Turkey has established bases to safeguard its economic and strategic interests and also conducts high level naval exercises in the region to boost its military preparedness and power projection. Maintenance of overseas military bases is the clear sign of Turkey’s expanding maritime imperatives. Pakistan has been regularly participating in these exercises as an emerging strategic partner of Turkey.
As discussed above, Turkey naval build-up is in line with its revised regional and global strategic imperatives. Turkey in recent times has been strategizing and maneuvering seemingly for a renewed presence and expanded sphere of influence in the Mediterranean Sea especially in its Eastern region and regions of Aegean Sea. Turkey and Greece have centuries old contradictory claims over the region. Some international observers have raised questions about Erdogan’s plans in Eastern Mediterranean dubbing it a “bold and expensive attempt at geopolitical revisionism.” Moreover, Turkish interests in the Middle East; strategically located Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, cannot be overestimated. The areas earlier ruled by Ottoman Empire, Turkey has historical stakes and links with many of the regional players. In the midst of Palestine-Israel longstanding conflict and emerging geopolitical realities especially in the post-Cold War era, Turkish relevance in Middle Eastern region has increased particularly in the wake of a transformed international order.
However, it must be recognized that Turkey or any other nation has the right to take steps in its national interests in line with its national security policy without jeopardizing the sensitivities and core interests of others.
Similarly, Turkey’s geostrategic location makes it a natural stakeholder in the Black Sea and analysts are of the view that it may not be difficult for Turkey to turn its location into a strategic asset. This makes Turkey one of the most prominent and significant actors in the Black Sea region of great vitality. With ongoing Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, Turkey on one hand, is part of Nato alliance and on the other hand enjoys cordiality with Moscow, is found at the crossroads of history. These newly emerged security concerns are coupled with its chronic Kurd challenge that Turkish leadership sees as an existential threat to its geographical integrity. In such a critical situation, Turkey’s security concerns and strategic relevance in the Black Sea and in the regions beyond increases manifold.
In the world of today, economic considerations and smooth commercial activities at seas are of paramount significance for any aspiring nation. Needless to assert that without substantial economic development, any prudent strategic vision becomes ineffectual and inoperable. The ongoing war in Ukraine has seriously dented Turkey’s trade volume. The country has lost to the conflict over $140M of its exports only in the month of April. In this regard, security of Sea Lines of Communication in the vast swaths of Seas and Oceans is among the top priorities of Turkey. So in such scenarios, for Turkey, tremendous economic imperatives would be at stake if it does not build its naval capacity and cooperates with other trusted maritime forces.
2- Pakistan’s Strategic Maritime Imperative
Pakistan’s geographical location has proved both bone and blessing for the nation’s national power. One can say that Pakistan has not fully exploited its unique strategic location due to many internal and external factors. Main factors seem to be the country’s political instability and weak institutionalization. Pakistan long-standing rivalry with India and two decades of war in Afghanistan has dented Pakistan heavily in term of its security and hence to the nation’s economic development. If we study Pakistan’s foreign policy in the context of international system level of analysis, since its very inception, the country has been willingly and sometimes unwillingly dragged into various regional and international compulsions. Now there is no way out for Pakistan without revamping of its foreign and domestic policies in line with its core national interests. Pakistan must set its priorities right and should minimize its external dependence through long-term pragmatic policies.
Pakistan’s first imperative is its sustainable economic growth and financial stability. Economic insecurity has become Pakistan’s real national security issue and the country is facing extreme internal and external pressures due to its dysfunctional economy. Nothing is more important for Pakistan right now than to keep the ship of economy afloat. Why a country with immense natural resources, having best human resource, and promising geographical location is hardly surviving? The answer must not be easy but one thing is for sure that the country’s economy is a serious victim of myopic policies and culpable mismanagement.
Economic experts have long been recommending the government to “unshackle itself from the chains of frequent boom-bust economic cycles” if it was really serious about the country’s economic independence. For viable economic growth and development, trade and commerce is of utmost importance. Fortunately, being part of CPEC and also for current regional compulsions, Pakistan in the recent years has been paying serious attention towards its maritime build-up. Pakistan’s cooperation with friendly states especially its accelerated bilateral cooperation with Turkey in maritime is also part of the same effort.
Pakistan’s strategic imperatives in modernizing naval arm and its close strategic and naval cooperation with Turkey and China will ultimately give it a competitive edge over its regional rivals in the Indian Ocean Region. Pakistan’s military modernization and up-gradation is its compulsion for its national security imperatives. In the wake of regional geopolitical competition and with a new security environment in Indo-Pacific, Pakistan’s maritime imperatives have been further reinforced. Pakistan, to establish a stable deterrence against India, needs to make its nuclear triad more credible so to rid the unending conventional arm race. As 90 percent of the country’s trade is already seaborne, security of its Sea Lines of Communication, coastal security and to ensure the freedom of navigation, are currently Pakistan’s top priorities due to its various vulnerabilities. These factors cumulatively push Pakistan to speed up its maritime modernization campaigns.
As revealed by then outgoing Pakistan Naval Chief, Adm. Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Pakistan has plans in the near future to “fill the operational and technological gaps” to take measures he enacted, prioritizing “combat readiness and offensive capability.” For this purpose, more than 50 warships, development of hypersonic P282 ship-launched anti-ship/land-attack ballistic missile, replacement of the P-3C Orion patrol aircraft with 10 converted commercial jets and several other projects such as strengthening of Naval Research and Development Institute are part of the overall modernization plan.
Pakistan Turkey convergence of interests and sharing of strategic vision are of pivotal importance for both nations to reach their strategic goals.
3- Pak-Turk Maritime Cooperation: Past and Present
Being brethren Islamic countries and having unshakeable historical and emotional ties, Pakistan and Turkey enjoy uniquely trusted ties in almost all social-economic and political fields.
One of the major convergences among the two countries is that they share the global outlook. The formal ties between Pakistan and the modern Turkey were institutionally established right after the creation of Pakistan in 1947. However, the history of relations between their peoples has the traces far back. In 2009 a High Level Cooperation Council was established which was later upgraded to the level of High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC). Geopolitical support for each other has always been vividly categorical as Pakistan always supports Turkey stance over Cyprus and Turkey’s leadership never minced words in supporting Pakistan’s policy on the Kashmiris right of self-determination.
“We have never forgotten and will never forget the help which the Pakistani people extended by sharing their own bread during our War of Independence. And now, Kashmir is and will be the same for us. It was Canakkale [Gallipoli] yesterday and it is Kashmir today, [there is] no difference,” said President Erdogan in a joint session of Pakistan’s parliament during his official visit.
As both countries have unique compatibility in their strategic culture, their faith, and have the same sources of strategic inspiration, Pakistan and Turkey’s cordiality is most likely to remain intact in the future.
Pakistan’s founding father’s historical words about the Turkey and its people and inscribed in the annals of history that, "Turkey has drawn our admiration for the valor of Turkish people and the way in which your statesman and the leaders have struggled and fought almost single-handed in the midst of Europe for your freedom and sovereignty which is worth mentioning, 'I really can assure your excellency that the Muslims of Pakistan will entertain sentiments of affection and esteem for your country, and now Turkey and Pakistan both as free, sovereign and independent countries can strengthen their ties more and more for the good of both."
Pakistan Turkey military and especially maritime cooperation is already touching the heights of reciprocal trust. Here in the following paragraphs are discussed some of the areas of interdependence in the field of maritime and their future prospects.
Conclusion and the way forward
The level of trust and cordiality Pakistan and Turkey have been enjoying is very rare to descry in today’s competing world of relative gains. The deep-rooted brotherly relations depict the two nations as natural allies whose ties, throughout history, have witnessed more flows and seldom ebbs. The areas of convergence between two nations are all encompassing. However, maritime cooperation between the two countries has gain rare level of mutuality and trust due to a unique convergence of maritime interests. Both sides are benefitting enormously from their joint manufacturing and modernization ventures and exchange of maritime goods and services. This cooperation, however, still has great space for a closer cooperation and exchanges of technology and skills. It is need of time that the two nations must fill these gaps for long term mutual benefits. Unconditional and vehement geopolitical support for each other on the sensitive and crucial issues has taken their strategic partnership to the next level of mutual confidence. The two sides need to make this relationship more national security oriented as both sides face number of vulnerabilities and internal and external threats. They must benefit from the experiences of one another to cope with their respective threat perception and to thwart their security loopholes. In this age of crucial economic and financial security, soared maritime trade and establishment of free economic zones would serve the purpose to a greater extent. To meet their back-breaking energy needs, Turkey and Pakistan should further accelerate their maritime joint ventures. In this regard, Pakistan can help Turkey for collaborative efforts in Indian Ocean Regions and Turkey can reciprocate these Pakistan’s incentives in the region of its influence. In its 2019 report, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) under the patronage of China declared Turkey as a ‘priority country’ for its pipeline and other energy projects. Obtaining maximum benefit out of this convergence between Turkey and China, Pakistan can easily play its role to develop a triangular partnership between the three and to accelerate the process of integration on various maritime projects. The pursuit of shared regional and global interests of peace, stability and economic prosperity must be among their top priorities.
Some recommendations to strengthen their maritime cooperation further are noted in the lines below:
- As maritime has become top priority of the both countries, the exchange of expertise must be further accelerated.
- Pakistan lags behind in naval technology as compared to Turkey while in missiles and other areas of strategic arsenals Pakistan has made crucial headways. Both countries must do the need-assessments for assistance and exchanges in these specific areas.
- Turkey already maintains a base in Qatar but the latter does not possess strong naval muscle of international caliber to collaborate with the former to maximize the common dividends. Pakistan-Turkey-Qatar can constitute naval triangle to accrue maximum out of the untapped regional maritime potentials.
- The offshore Indus Basin possesses tremendous potentials for least unexplored reserves of hydrocarbon. Pakistan and Turkey should do collaborative maritime efforts to capitalize precious treasures to meet the energy needs of both countries.
- Role of China led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) can be significant to assist another triangular relationship among Pakistan Turkey and China in various maritime ventures especially of pipeline projects to meet the dire energy needs of the highly populated three nations.
- Pakistan should play its due role to bring Turkey further close to China for the attainment of collective regional imperatives under the CPEC and OBOR.
- Turkey and Pakistan should join in more sessions of mutual training along with their collective naval exercises.
- The two sides must enter in various strategic level agreements for durable future cooperation in various fields especially in naval and maritime.
- The unbreakable bonds of shared history, values, culture, strategic vision, and economic imperatives must be exploited to maximize material gains through increased military, trade, commerce, business and cooperation in various areas of mutual interests.
Asif Khurshid Rana
Institution Center of Peace and Social Studies- General Director
