Since the demarcation of boundaries between India and Pakistan, the latter’s foreign policy has always been dependent on the great powers. From the times of the Cold War to the Belt and Road Initiative of the 21st century, Islamabad has either put its eggs of foreign policy in the Washington basket or the Chinese one.
But the politics changed from high to low, alliances transformed from west to east, making Pakistan look beyond the giants of power politics towards the region that shares a common fate, that is Oceania. Although smaller in geography and population, the region shares a natural convergence with the South Asian state. From rising sea levels, food insecurity, climate change, and the use of traditional means for energy production, the region of Oceania has so much to offer to the state of Pakistan in terms of cooperation and increased engagement.
The recent agreements between the states of Oceania and Pakistan provide a golden opportunity for Islamabad to develop cordial linkages with the countries not only in an official manner but in unofficial terms, led by people-to-people and business-to-business tracks as well. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the Federated States of Micronesia at the United Nations over human resource management, climate change, and capacity building is proof of this.
Moreover, the visit by a delegation from Fiji National University also ensures the trust between Pakistan and Oceania that collaboration in the non-traditional domain can also build strong ties. The signing of MoUs for enhancing bilateral cooperation in water-efficient irrigation, the use of AI in agriculture, and climate-smart farming opens avenues for both countries for future partnerships.
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Likewise, in December 2024, the bold move taken by Pakistan to join Small Island States in raising their voice against the use of fossil fuels, making Islamabad unique in a sense as the only South Asian country to join the new fossil fuel treaty. The treaty focused on making a case against the unjust use of fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas, to produce energy. Instead, states should shift their focus to renewable means of producing energy. In addition to this, the Solomon Islands partnership back in 2023 also shows how Pakistan is interested in opening its doors towards the region.
This series of bilateral cooperation is not just agreements but a start of a promising future between Pakistan and Oceania. From tackling climate change, deforestation, sea-level rise, food insecurity, water inefficiency, to developing pathways for cultural linkages, student exchanges, tourism, economic incentives, and people-to-people contacts, the region of Oceania has so much to offer.
In this regard, the two giants from the region, Australia and New Zealand, can also play a vital role. The recent engagement between Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins and Pakistan shows a positive trajectory in the relationship between Pakistan and Australia. The High Commissioner expressing solidarity with the flood victims to granting financial support in the past depicts how these small exchanges can turn into a big incentive for a state like Pakistan.
Similarly, the cricket diplomacy between New Zealand and Pakistan can be a starting point for further collaboration in multiple fields. Using Pakistan’s geostrategic location, like the Gwadar Port, these states can enter the market and raise their annual GDP.
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Therefore, these small engagements between Pakistan and different states of the Oceania region show that this region holds sheer significance of strong bilateral cooperation in areas falling under the non-traditional domain. Thus, to seize the opportunity Pakistan have to go beyond these bilateral engagements and needs to develop a comprehensive Pacific Policy that can engage the Pacific nations with Pakistan in different areas such as climate change, agriculture, artificial intelligence, climate-smart farming, renewable energy, and others.
The policy needs to cater interests of all states in the Oceania region. It should put primary focus on increasing people-to-people and business exchanges. Cooperation with small island states over climate change, cultural, technological, and student exchanges between the countries, and establishing economic ties in fisheries, renewable energy, and agriculture should be the prime focus of the policy.
Pacific is no longer a cornered region but a parallel of Pakistan’s own vulnerabilities. By forming a strategic partnership through a policy will not only diverse Pakistan’s alliance making options but will open options in holding a stronger position in field of diplomacy.
*The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of TDI.
Yusra Sarwar
Yusra Sarwar is a researcher at the Consortium for Asia Pacific Studies (CAPS). She can be reached at sarwar_yusra19@yahoo.com
