In the winds of globalization, distinctions between big and small have become obsolete in today's world. Proximity is no longer determined by neighborhood or geographic distance. In global reality, even distant countries become close through various equations. In short, there is no scope to ignore the small by considering them insignificant, nor to view the big as unilaterally dominant. Under the umbrella of globalization, hemispheres are no longer paramount. Even a geographically small country like Bangladesh has become a subject of multifaceted strategic consideration for a country like India, which is advancing in the race to become a vast and super power.
India's Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, has stated that New Delhi is closely monitoring the ongoing situation in Bangladesh. All channels of communication between the two countries' militaries have been kept open to avoid any misunderstanding or misinterpretation. This was not said behind closed doors; he stated it openly on 13 January at the Indian Army's annual press conference in New Delhi. How far must circumstances deteriorate for such considerations to arise-and to be publicly declared at a press conference? Geopolitics, sovereignty, and the studies of strategists and diplomats are at a critical juncture of rapid transformation, making this reality inevitable.
The term "Cold War" was first used in 1945 by British writer George Orwell in his essay You and the Atomic Bomb. The term gained wider recognition in 1947 through a speech by U.S. adviser Bernard Baruch and journalist Walter Lippmann's book. It became globally popular to describe the post-World War II rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, both the Cold War and the global balance of power came to an end. Now the question arises: what lies ahead- a desired peaceful world or another nuclear war? This question has become more pressing with Turkey's interest in joining a military alliance with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. If such an alliance materializes, an attack on one country would be considered an attack on all.
There is also speculation about Bangladesh joining this alliance, with China possibly included as an additional partner. U.S. media outlet Bloomberg has quickly reported on this issue, citing individuals familiar with the potential agreement and its implications among Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.
Facing economic crisis, Pakistan is attempting to accelerate its economy by leveraging its military expertise. Last December, it signed a $4 billion deal to sell 16 JF-17 fighter jets and other military equipment to Libyan General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are discussing converting nearly $2 billion in Saudi loans into a JF-17 fighter jet purchase agreement. These aircraft are jointly produced by China and Pakistan. While Pakistan maintains close ties individually with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Riyadh and Ankara have not always been aligned. Now, due to the inevitability of current realities, the context is changing. Previously, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an supported the mass protests following the Arab Spring, which Saudi Arabia viewed as a threat to its monarchical rule. A decade ago, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates jointly fought against Turkey in Libya and supported Egyptian President and former General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whom Erdo?an once criticized. Now, relations between Erdo?an and Sisi are warming. Concerns over Israel's war in Gaza and large-scale attacks on Lebanon, Syria, and Iran have brought them onto a common path. Efforts to repair Saudi-Turkish relations have been underway since 2021, and recently they have been strategically aligning in volatile regions such as Syria. Erdo?an and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have sought to influence U.S. President Donald Trump to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government.
After Pakistan gained independence in August 1947, Saudi Arabia was among the first countries to recognize it. In 1951, the two countries signed a "Treaty of Friendship," which laid the foundation for decades of strategic, political, military, and economic cooperation. Over the years, Pakistani armed forces have been deployed to Saudi Arabia multiple times, training Saudi troops both in the Gulf region and in Pakistan. What will Bangladesh do in this hemisphere-simply watch? Speculation has already begun internationally about Bangladesh's potential accession to the emerging powerful military alliance involving Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia after the upcoming election. High-level military meetings between Dhaka and Islamabad in recent months, along with the existing "strategic mutual defense agreement" between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, have added momentum to this discussion. Since the political transition in Bangladesh in 2024, these developments are being seen as part of a new regional geopolitical realignment. If the newly elected government formally joins this alliance, it could reshape South Asia's overall security architecture. As early as September 2024, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a "strategic mutual defense agreement" in Riyadh, stipulating that an attack on one country would be considered aggression against both. This foundation was further strengthened by the defense agreement signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September 2025, modeled on NATO's collective defense principle.
If Bangladesh joins this alliance, it would open new horizons in training, counterterrorism, and joint production of military equipment. Foreign media have reported that discussions on purchasing JF-17 Thunder fighter jets during the Bangladesh Air Force chief's visit to Pakistan this month could significantly contribute to achieving Bangladesh's "Forces Goal 2030." Pakistan has already promised rapid delivery of Super Mushshak training aircraft to Bangladesh.
This defense cooperation may extend beyond procurement to intelligence sharing and joint military exercises. Security analysts view this alliance as an important opportunity for modernizing Bangladesh's defense system and maintaining a balance of power with neighboring countries. Under the interim government's administration, work on draft agreements has progressed considerably, but formal approval will have to come from the next elected parliament and government. Pakistan's Times of Islamabad has published a significant report on this issue, and some Indian media outlets are also closely following developments.
The writer is Deputy Head of News, Bangla Vision
