IN a region long defined by binary rivalries and fractured multilateralism, a quiet but consequential shift is underway.

Bangladesh, China and Pakistan—three nations with distinct trajectories and historical baggage—are converging in a trilateral format that could reshape South Asia’s strategic geometry. From maritime trade and infrastructure revival to defence exercises and diplomatic overtures, this emerging triangle offers promise. For Pakistan, the moment demands a pivot: from reactive posturing to proactive, inclusive leadership. The April 2025 Kunming summit marked a turning point. For the first time in over a decade, high-level delegations from Bangladesh and Pakistan met under Chinese facilitation to discuss connectivity, trade and regional stability. The symbolism was potent: a trilateral handshake in a city that anchors China’s southern outreach to South and Southeast Asia.

This isn’t a diplomatic gesture but signals the revival of a strategic triangle reminiscent of the 1960s China-Pakistan-East Pakistan axis—now reimagined for a multipolar world. Bangladesh’s participation in Pakistan’s AMAN-25 naval exercise, the resumption of direct maritime trade between Karachi and Chittagong and China’s involvement in reviving the Lalmonirhat airbase near India’s sensitive Siliguri Corridor all point to a recalibrated regional posture. At the heart of this trilateral cooperation lies connectivity. The Gwadar–Chittagong corridor offers an east-west trade route bypassing India, linking Chinese industrial zones to South Asian markets. Pakistan’s rice exports, pharmaceutical ventures and logistics partnerships with Bangladesh........

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