Pakistan offers US new Arabian Sea port to counter China

Advisers to Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir have approached US officials with a proposal to build and operate a new port in Pasni on the Arabian Sea. The plan envisions American investment in developing the port as a terminal for access to Pakistan’s critical minerals. Located just 100 miles from Iran and 70 miles from China-backed Gwadar, Pasni could provide Washington with a vital strategic foothold.

Source Financial Times

The initiative, which is not yet official policy, highlights Islamabad’s efforts to deepen ties with Washington amid intensifying global competition with China. The project also includes a new railway to transport copper, antimony, and other key resources from Pakistan’s interior. Estimated development costs reach up to $1.2 billion, with funding expected from both Pakistani and US-backed sources.

For Washington, the proposal offers a chance to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the region, particularly its Belt and Road investments in Gwadar. Pakistani officials stressed that the Pasni port would not serve as a US military base but rather as a strategic hub to expand American presence in South and Central Asia.