Pakistan is expanding its defence engagement beyond its immediate neighbourhood through a new security agreement with Somalia, Economic Times reported.

The pact was signed in Islamabad on 4 August and covers counter-terrorism, military training, exchanges and capacity building.

This development came only days before Pakistan joined Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signalling Islamabad’s broader effort to use military cooperation as an instrument of regional diplomacy despite severe financial constraints.

The Pakistan-Somalia defence cooperation agreement builds upon existing collaboration between the two countries in security and counter-terrorism. Pakistan has previously offered training and expertise to Somali security institutions, and Somalia has sought to benefit from Islamabad’s experience in counter-terrorism.

The Defence Export Promotion Organisation of Pakistan has also highlighted the country’s record in providing counter-terrorism training to foreign forces and conducting joint exercises with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Jordan.

This agreement represents an expansion of Pakistan’s defence engagement with Somalia rather than a return to its earlier peacekeeping role. During the early 1990s, Pakistani armed forces participated in the United Nations operation in Somalia, where Pakistani peacekeepers lost their lives.

Reports have also suggested Somali interest in acquiring Pakistani JF-17 fighter aircraft, potentially with Saudi and Turkish backing, though no contract has been confirmed and these remain unverified.

The growing role of Field Marshal Asim Munir in Pakistan’s defence diplomacy is evident in these developments. Munir accompanied Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia from 6 to 8 August for discussions on strengthening bilateral relations and regional issues.

His involvement has also been visible in Pakistan’s dealings with Turkey, where he travelled in July to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Defence Minister Yasar Guler to discuss strategic and defence cooperation. The Somalia agreement therefore fits into a broader pattern of Pakistan’s military establishment playing a central role in external partnerships.

Three days after signing the Somalia pact, Pakistan joined Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. This pact commits the three countries to treat an armed attack against one member as an attack against all, while envisaging closer military coordination, joint exercises and defence-industrial cooperation.

It adds another dimension to Pakistan’s growing defence relationships with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Turkey contributes defence technology and manufacturing capabilities, Saudi Arabia provides financial resources and regional influence, while Pakistan offers a large military establishment, training capacity and nuclear deterrence.

Somalia’s strategic importance lies in its location connecting the Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean.

The timing of the agreement is significant as Saudi Arabia has been expanding its engagement across the Red Sea and Horn of Africa, while Turkey has developed a substantial security presence along Somalia’s coastline.

Pakistan’s strengthening defence ties with both countries could give Islamabad a role in a broader security network stretching from the Arabian Peninsula into the western Indian Ocean.

Pakistan’s expanding defence diplomacy also highlights the challenge of sustaining such partnerships given its financial constraints. A sustained military role in Somalia would require personnel, equipment, logistics and funding, resources that Pakistan may struggle to provide.

There is also the possibility that Islamabad’s role could become closely linked to the strategic calculations of Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

The Horn of Africa is a contested region involving Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, the United States and China, while Somalia itself has sought to diversify its external partnerships.

For Pakistan, defence diplomacy offers a way to pursue greater strategic relevance without deploying large combat forces. The challenge will be sustaining these partnerships without placing additional pressure on its economic and strategic capacity.

The Somalia agreement, signed shortly before the Mecca pact, underscores Islamabad’s effort under Asim Munir to pursue a broader defence and diplomatic role.

Agencies