New Bloc On The Clock: Pakistan Pushing Beijing-Backed Blueprint To Circle India’s Sphere Of Influence?

Last Updated:December 10, 2025, 20:12 IST

Islamabad is actively working to 'expand' its trilateral initiative with Bangladesh and China to include other regional and extra-regional nations

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. (File pic: X)

Pakistan is reportedly working on a significant strategic manoeuvre intended to challenge India’s long-standing geopolitical dominance in South Asia. This attempt to recalibrate regional power dynamics was revealed by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, who recently announced that Islamabad is actively working to “expand" its trilateral initiative with Bangladesh and China to include other regional and extra-regional nations.

Dar’s statement underscores Pakistan’s strategy of leveraging existing relationships, particularly with China, to build a counterbalance to India’s influence. The proposed core alliance—Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh—is designed to integrate economic and infrastructural interests. For Bangladesh, this initiative offers potentially crucial financial backing for development projects and an alternative to reliance on traditional multilateral sources. For China, the trilateral format serves to deepen its strategic reach into the Bay of Bengal, potentially complementing its massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The proposed expansion, however, is the most ambitious element. By inviting other regional nations—which could include countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Maldives, all of whom have complex debt and investment relationships with Beijing—Pakistan is attempting to reshape the established regional framework. These smaller South Asian nations have, at various times, shown willingness to diversify their diplomatic and economic partnerships to mitigate India’s overwhelming influence.

The move is being closely watched in New Delhi, which has long viewed South Asia as its sphere of influence. India’s policy, often referred to as the “Neighbourhood First" approach, aims to maintain primacy through economic assistance, security cooperation, and shared cultural ties. Pakistan’s expanded trilateral proposal implicitly challenges India’s role as the indispensable regional power.

Should the initiative gain traction, it could lead to the formation of a parallel, China-backed regional grouping focused on infrastructure and trade, potentially marginalising existing SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) structures, which have been stalled due to India-Pakistan tensions. Pakistan’s strategy hinges on translating Chinese economic power into tangible geopolitical influence that can successfully realign South Asian alliances.

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