Great Power Competition and Pakistan: A Power Transition Theory Perspective 1947–1991

The present study investigates great power competition and its ramifications for Pakistan in the South Asian regional hierarchy during the Cold War. The previous studies lack theoretical rigor in their respective explanation of great power competition in the international system and its fallout for the South Asian region. This gap is more pronounced in case of great power competition between the United States and the former Soviet Union when Pakistan was an ally of the United States for security assistance in the 1950s and 1960s. While some authors have used realist and neorealist frameworks to understand the dynamics of Pakistan’s relations with the then great powers, we employ the Power Transition Theory (PTT) to examine the phenomenon. The PTT as a theoretical framework offers more comprehensive understanding of great power competition and its impact on Pakistan’s security needs in the context of regional dynamics during the Cold War. This study finds that following Pakistan’s alliance with United States, military spending of the country grew rapidly and reached an unprecedented high level leading to military modernization- a much needed factor of deterrence posture vis-à-vis India. The pursuit of power parity and balancing by Pakistan, coupled with India’s alignment with the Soviet Union, created a tense environment in South Asia. These dynamics ultimately led to the outbreak of 1965 and 1971 wars. While the United States and the Soviet Union were the primary players, China's strategic involvement in great power competition has had a marked impact on Pakistan's ability to deter India.