Pakistan ends 2025 not as a state reacting to events, but as one increasingly shaping them
US President Donald Trump looks at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaking following the official signing of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
Few could have predicted at the start of 2025 that Pakistan’s foreign policy would end the year on such a dramatically different footing.
Long perceived as a country navigating diplomatic isolation, economic fragility and regional pressure, Pakistan closed 2025 having restored strategic relevance across multiple theatres.
At the heart of this shift was an unprecedented turnaround in the Pakistan-United States relations, following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, a development that reshaped Islamabad’s global standing and triggered a broader recalibration of its external engagements.
The most striking foreign policy development of 2025 was the rapid and largely unexpected improvement in Pak-US relations. Contrary to widespread expectations of indifference or renewed friction, President Trump adopted a markedly positive and transactional approach toward Pakistan soon after taking office.
In multiple public statements, Trump openly praised Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, acknowledging the country’s role in regional security and counterterrorism. The turning point in the relationship was the capture of one of the masterminds of Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul Airport in August 2021.
The capture and extradition of the Daesh terrorist prompted Trump to openly praise Pakistan in his maiden address to Congress. That counterterrorism cooperation revived channel of communication between the two countries that were virtually non-existent during Joe Biden’s term.
Such direct commendation from a US President, particularly one known for blunt diplomacy, was unprecedented in recent memory and sent a strong signal to Washington’s policy establishment.
Behind the scenes, diplomatic and military channels were reactivated at speed. High-level engagements resumed, intelligence cooperation deepened and Pakistan was increasingly described by US officials as a “reliable regional partner” rather than a problematic ally of the past.
The focus of engagement extended beyond Afghanistan, encompassing South Asian stability, Middle Eastern security, and counterterrorism cooperation. Trump’s worldview, less driven by ideology and more by immediate strategic utility, worked to Pakistan’s advantage.
Islamabad positioned itself as a net security provider in an unstable region, offering cooperation without seeking the kind of alliance commitments that had complicated ties in earlier decades. By the end of 2025, Pak-US relations were not merely stabilised; they had been substantively redefined.
The four-day war and its aftermath
If the US reset marked a diplomatic breakthrough, the four-day India-Pakistan war in May became a turning point in Pakistan’s regional posture. The brief but intense military confrontation brought South Asia dangerously close to escalation, once again drawing global attention to the volatility of the region.
Pakistan’s response, combining military readiness with deft diplomacy, earned quiet recognition from key international capitals.
After the Pahalgam attack in April when India was threatening cross-border strikes, outside world was wary of Pakistan’s ability to ward off, let alone, inflict any damage to India. But when India launched missile strikes deep inside Pakistan, the response from Islamabad took not just New Delhi but world capitals by surprise. Pakistan shot down at least seven Indian fighter jets including four French-made highly sophisticated Rafales.
While the conflict underscored the enduring hostility between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, it also altered perceptions. Pakistan was seen not as an instigator but as a state capable of defending its interests, while avoiding uncontrolled escalation.
The post-war diplomatic phase proved equally significant. Islamabad’s engagement with major powers, including the US, China, Gulf states, and European partners, reinforced the message that Pakistan remained indispensable to regional stability.
In contrast, concerns grew internationally about India’s increasingly assertive posture under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, particularly its willingness to test military thresholds.
A rising geostrategic profile
Following the Pakistan-India confrontation, Pakistan’s geostrategic profile rose sharply. Regional and extra-regional actors began reassessing Pakistan’s role not merely as a South Asian actor but as a bridge between South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
This recalibration translated into tangible diplomatic gains. Pakistan intensified strategic coordination with key Middle Eastern partners, positioning itself as a stabilising force amid ongoing turmoil in Gaza, the Red Sea, and the wider Gulf region.
Islamabad played an active diplomatic role in discussions around a Gaza peace framework, leveraging its credibility with both Western and Muslim-majority states. While the conflict itself remained unresolved, Pakistan’s engagement elevated its standing as a responsible voice advocating ceasefire, humanitarian access, and a political pathway forward.
Deepening ties with Gulf states.
One of the most consequential outcomes of Pakistan’s enhanced strategic relevance was the defence pact signed with Saudi Arabia in 2025. Beyond Riyadh, Pakistan strengthened ties with the UAE and Qatar, reinforcing its role as a trusted security partner rather than a partisan actor in Middle Eastern rivalries.
These relationships were underpinned by Pakistan’s careful balancing act. For Pakistan, this Gulf engagement carried both strategic and economic dividends, reinforcing its position at a time when Middle Eastern security dynamics increasingly intersected with global power competition.
China: continuity and consolidation
While Pakistan’s relations with the US grabbed headlines, its strategic partnership with China continued to deepen steadily in 2025. High-level political and military exchanges remained frequent, reflecting mutual trust and long-term alignment.
Progress under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) continued, with renewed emphasis on industrial cooperation, energy security, and technology. Both sides worked to address earlier implementation challenges, signalling a shift from grand announcements to consolidation and delivery.
Importantly, Pakistan managed to improve ties with Washington without undermining its partnership with Beijing, an increasingly rare diplomatic balancing act in an era of great power rivalry.
Growing engagement with Russia
Pakistan’s outreach to Russia also gained momentum in 2025. Senior-level visits, defence consultations, and energy discussions underscored Islamabad’s desire to diversify its strategic relationships.
While Pakistan-Russia ties remain limited compared to traditional partnerships, the consistency of high-level engagement marked a shift from episodic contact to structured dialogue. In a multipolar world, Islamabad increasingly positioned itself as a flexible actor open to cooperation across geopolitical lines.
The Afghan challenge: A persistent low point
Despite these achievements, 2025 also highlighted the limits of Pakistan’s foreign policy success, most notably in its deteriorating relationship with Afghanistan. Rather than stabilising, ties with Kabul worsened significantly over the year.
Islamabad’s core concern – the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan soil – remained unresolved, while diplomatic engagement yielded little progress. Border tensions, mutual accusations, and the absence of effective communication mechanisms deepened mistrust.
Unlike other fronts where Pakistan managed recalibration and engagement, Afghanistan remained a source of strategic frustration, underscoring the complexity of the post-withdrawal regional landscape.
A year of strategic recovery
As 2025 comes to a close, Pakistan’s foreign policy record reflects a year of strategic recovery rather than dramatic transformation. The unprecedented improvement in Pakistan-US relations under President Trump, the post-war recalibration of regional perceptions, growing Middle Eastern engagement, and sustained partnerships with China and Russia collectively restored Pakistan’s relevance on the global stage.
Challenges persist, especially on the western border, but the broader trajectory suggests a country that has learned to leverage geography, security capability, and diplomacy more effectively.
In a turbulent international environment, Pakistan ended 2025 not as a state reacting to events, but as one increasingly shaping them. Whether this momentum can be sustained into 2026 will depend on internal stability and the ability to convert strategic relevance into long-term economic and political gains.
