Prospects of Pakistan-Srilanka defense ties:

Recently, national and international media claimed that Srilanka is going to strike a nuclear deal with Pakistan in response to India’s accomplishment.

Pakistan and Srilanka generally enjoy warm relations with each other. Pakistan has assisted Srilanka in the field of science and technology, against LTTE moment. Pakistan and Srilanka share common interest in fostering relations with China. Both states are also member of SAARC (regional cooperation). Pakistan is the second largest trading partner of Sri Lanka in South Asia. Sri Lanka was the first country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with Pakistan, which became operational from June 12, 2005. The volume of trade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka has increased in the last four years after the signing of the free trade agreement. “The government and the people of Sri Lanka have considered Pakistan as a true friend of Sri Lanka, which has always stood by it in times of need...”

In the defense sector both countries enjoy cordial relations with each other. Srilanka started to import arms and ammunition from Pakistan in 1999 when Pakistan has emerged as one of the leading small weapons suppliers to the island nation, and the amount had been tripled in 2009. Recently, General Kayani was on a three-day visit to Sri Lanka for renewed military commitments in multiple areas of cooperation between the two sides. According to military sources at the General Headquarters (GHQ), expansion of the Pakistan-Army led field-training programme for Sri Lankan military personnel figured prominently during his visit. Pakistan had played a major role in supporting Sri Lankan Army in its war against the Tamil insurgents, as Pakistan Army and its intelligence community had close links with the Sri Lankan military establishment.  It is important for the business community and chambers of commerce of the two countries to fully avail the huge trade and business potential, the two countries offer, in diverse fields including financial and banking sector, science and technology, defense, agriculture, tourism besides promoting cultural exchanges. Srilanka and India also went for talk on civil nuclear deal but Srilanka backed off due to Indian reaction at UN resolution where India voted against Srilanka. It is believed that initially India had created, armed and supported an armed insurrection in Sri Lanka by bringing discontented Tamils on one platform. According to reports, India trained them in urban guerrilla warfare, armed them with the latest weapons and unleashed them on peaceful Lankan citizens. But India withdrew its support when it felt the heat of insurgency in India, as Tamils, Maoists and other ethnicities having separatist tendencies had become a serious threat to the country. With the backing of the Pakistanis and the Chinese led to the victory, which ensured sovereignty and independence of Sri Lanka. Now Government of Srilanka has opted for having nuclear deal with Pakistan. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have comprehensive and mutually beneficial training collaboration for Army, Navy and Air Force. Over a period of time, a strong bond of commitment and mutual understanding has been reached between both the friendly armed forces. This deal would definitely open up new ways of countering energy crisis, and also to give them deterrent capabilities. Pakistan’s nuclear program is safe and secured and no such record of leakage of nuclear material is found in history. Further striking a deal between Pakistan and Srilanka would give a serious blow to India in the region. Defense cooperation between both countries would safeguard the economic interests and would also keep India’s hegemonic designs in check. The unconditional support and diversification of the relationship that has manifested itself on a broad base is of pride for both the nations. The strength in deep continued ties and mutual respect on the sovereign equality paves a way towards shared objective to faithfully and sincerely contribute to regional and global peace.

Middle East is known as the birth place of all the religions; Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Besides the religious divide, region has been engulfed with so many political, sectarian and defense issues. These issues include the overall democratization process of Middle East, Syrian uprising, Palestine-Israel conflict. More recently Middle East has become the focal point of world politics for another major issue that is the Iran nuclear controversy. Tehran’s nuclear program got started in 1950’s with the support of USA. With the emergence of state of Israel, USA shifted its policies towards Israel and USA was the first country who recognized Israel as an independent Jewish state.  Israel and USA are opposing Iran’s nuclear program because Israel feels threatened from Iran. Once Iran got nuclear, Israel’s regional dominance will no more exist. USA opposes Iran’s nuclear program to safeguard its economic interests in the region. Since then USA supports Israel’s existence
in the region and also help it in the field of defense. Regarding Iran’s nuclear program, regional actors and many western countries are showing much concern. If Iran develops its nuclear weapon then there would be certain implications for the region. Iran seeks to develop its own nuclear weapon to fulfill its two major objectives; first, global dominance that can lead to its regional dominance by overseeing the world’s busiest oil supply route through the strait of Hormuz, secondly, to safeguard the interest of Shiite community in the region. The Iranian ability to oversee the oil supply route and the pursuance of its nuclear weapon would definitely be in Iran’s favor. Secondly, the nuclear Iran would give it a hedge to confront the Sunni countries in the region such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar; this would lead to Shiite-Sunni rift and increase in sectarianism in the region thus destabilizing the region. Thirdly, a nuclear Iran would give a serious blow to nuclear
non-proliferation regime. Regional states like Saudi Arabia, Turkey which is party to NPT would definitely resume their nuclear program. States in other region like South Korea would also o for developing nuclear weapons, thus destabilizing the region, failure of NPT and global arms race. Fourthly, Tehran’s nuclear program will strengthen the non-state actors prevailing in the region like Hamas and Hezbollah that would lead to terrorism and a regional war in Middle East while confronting Israel. Fifthly, Iran is having bitter relations with USA and Israel. Nuclear Iran would escalate the conflict between Iran and Israel. Israel is threatened by Iran due to its small size and lack of strategic depth, thus leaving the option of pre-emptive strike for Israel. Last but not the least, if Iran’s nuclear controversy cannot be resolved through diplomacy and table talks then, it would lead to a serious nuclear conflict between Iran and Israel or USA, because USA has failed to put
sanctions on Iran due to international pressure. Last option USA left with is the military strike on Iranian’s nuclear facilities and in return to this Iran, while retaliating, would attack the nuclear facilities of Israel thus having destructive and catastrophic consequences for the region.
It is difficult to predict the consequences of nuclear armed Iran but it is predicted that nuclear Iran would definitely increase its influence in the region; also it would trigger a nuclear war between USA, Israel and Iran.