Which Countries Support Pakistan?
From the “iron brother” China to brotherly Turkey and Saudi Arabia — the complete, honest guide to Pakistan’s closest friends, allies and strategic partners around the world.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
Quick answer: Pakistan’s closest supporters are China (the “iron brother” — CPEC, defence co-production, diplomatic cover), Turkey (brotherly ties, Kashmir support, MILGEM warships), and Saudi Arabia (economic lifeline, oil facility, and a 2025 mutual defence pact). The UAE, Qatar, Malaysia and Azerbaijan are also consistent friends. In 2018, China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia jointly blocked a US move against Pakistan at the FATF — the clearest public proof of who stands with Islamabad when it counts.
By the numbers
Pakistan’s Friendships in Numbers
The relationships that shape Pakistan’s foreign policy, measured where it matters.
Years of Pak-China ties
Diplomatic relations since 1951; “all-weather” partners through every crisis.
CPEC investment pledged
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor — the flagship of the Belt and Road.
Saudi defence pact
The September 2025 mutual defence agreement — an attack on one is an attack on both.
MILGEM corvettes
Turkey is building Babur-class warships for the Pakistan Navy.
In This Guide
Jump to any ally or question.
The inner circle
Pakistan’s Closest Allies
Three relationships stand above all others — tested in wars, economic crises and diplomatic battles.
China
Pakistan’s most important relationship, bar none. China built the Karakoram Highway, co-produces the JF-17 Thunder fighter, anchors the $62 billion CPEC, and has shielded Pakistan diplomatically for decades — including at the UN Security Council and the FATF. The phrase both sides use is “higher than mountains, deeper than oceans.” Why China is the iron brother →
Turkey
Bound by history, faith and the Khilafat Movement’s legacy, Turkey is Pakistan’s most vocal Muslim-majority supporter — President Erdoğan has raised Kashmir at the UN General Assembly repeatedly. Defence ties run deep: Turkey’s MILGEM programme is delivering four Babur-class corvettes to the Pakistan Navy, the largest Turkish defence export deal ever.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom has been Pakistan’s economic backstop for decades — oil on deferred payment, multi-billion-dollar deposits with the State Bank in every balance-of-payments crisis, and home to the largest Pakistani diaspora in the Gulf. In September 2025 the relationship was formalised into a mutual defence pact: aggression against one is aggression against both. The Turkey-Saudi axis →
Beyond the big three
The Wider Circle of Friends
Consistent, reliable — if less celebrated — partnerships.
UAE & Qatar
The UAE hosts over a million Pakistanis, parked $3 billion with Pakistan’s central bank during the 2023 crisis, and is negotiating a comprehensive economic partnership. Qatar supplies LNG that keeps Pakistan’s lights on and invested billions after the 2022 floods.
Malaysia & Indonesia
Malaysia under Mahathir Mohamad was among the loudest voices for Kashmir at the UN; palm-oil and defence trade bind the two. Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation, maintains warm defence and diplomatic ties.
Azerbaijan
Baku backs Pakistan on Kashmir; Islamabad backed Baku in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict — Pakistan still does not recognise Armenia. Defence cooperation, including JF-17 interest, is growing.
Iran & Afghanistan
Neighbours, not simple friends. Iran shares a 900-km border, gas pipeline dreams and sectarian complications. Afghanistan’s relationship swings with Kabul’s politics — trade and refugees bind them, militancy strains them.
Receipts
Moments That Proved the Friendships
Alliances are proven in crises. These are the receipts.
| Year | Moment | Who stood with Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 & 1971 | Wars with India | China’s warnings to India; Muslim-world diplomatic support |
| 1998 | Nuclear tests & sanctions | China’s continued cooperation; Saudi oil support |
| 2015 | CPEC launched | China commits $46B (later $62B) when few others would invest |
| 2018 | FATF grey-listing push | China, Turkey & Saudi Arabia block the US move (WSJ) |
| 2019 | Post-Balakot crisis | Turkey, China & OIC contact group back Pakistan’s position |
| 2022 | Floods catastrophe | UAE, Qatar, Turkey & China among the largest aid contributors |
| 2025 | Saudi-Pakistan defence pact | Mutual defence agreement signed in Riyadh, September 2025 |
| 2026 | Makkah pact activated | Saudi Arabia, Turkey & Pakistan deepen the trilateral defence framework |
Who Backs Pakistan on Kashmir?
The diplomatic question Pakistan cares about most.
China
Has raised Kashmir at the UN Security Council — the only P5 member to do so for Pakistan in recent decades.
Turkey
President Erdoğan has mentioned Kashmir in multiple UN General Assembly addresses, straining Turkey-India ties.
Malaysia & Azerbaijan
Among the most outspoken OIC members on Kashmir; Azerbaijan links it explicitly to its own territorial struggles.
The honest footnote: most countries — including the US, Russia and the EU — call Kashmir a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. Unconditional backers are few; that is precisely why the inner circle matters.
The other direction
How Pakistan Supports Its Friends Back
Friendship is not one-way — here is what Pakistan brings to the table.
Peacekeeping
Pakistan has been among the world’s top contributors to UN peacekeeping for decades — over 200,000 Pakistani troops have served in missions from Somalia and Bosnia to the Congo, with 160+ laying down their lives.
Training & manpower
Pakistani officers have trained Saudi and Gulf forces for generations; Pakistani professionals and labour power the Gulf’s hospitals, construction sites and armies.
Mediation
From facilitating the US-Taliban talks in Doha to backing Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and brokering Muslim-world dialogue, Islamabad’s diplomacy punches at its friendships’ service.
Go deeper
Related Guides
Each friendship, examined in full.
Pakistan Friend Country List
Every major ally ranked and explained — the complete reference.
Why China Is the Iron Brother
CPEC, JF-17s, UNSC cover — the deepest bilateral relationship Pakistan has.
Pakistan, Turkey & Saudi Arabia
Defence pacts, brotherhood and the new trilateral axis.
Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions readers ask most.
Which country is Pakistan’s best friend?
China — officially an “all-weather strategic cooperative partner,” called the “iron brother” in both countries. No other relationship combines Pakistan’s scale of economic investment (CPEC), defence co-production (JF-17) and consistent diplomatic cover.
Does Turkey support Pakistan?
Yes — Turkey is among Pakistan’s most vocal supporters, backing Pakistan on Kashmir at the UN, building four MILGEM corvettes for the Pakistan Navy, and deepening defence-industrial cooperation.
Does Saudi Arabia support Pakistan?
Yes — decades of oil facilities, central-bank deposits in every economic crisis, the largest Gulf Pakistani diaspora, and since September 2025 a formal mutual defence pact.
Which countries support Pakistan on Kashmir?
China (at the UNSC), Turkey (at the UNGA), Malaysia and Azerbaijan (in the OIC) are the most outspoken. Most other countries treat Kashmir as a bilateral India-Pakistan issue.
Is the USA Pakistan’s friend or foe?
Neither, exactly — it is a transactional partnership. Major non-NATO ally status, counter-terrorism cooperation and IMF ties coexist with sanctions, the 2018 aid freeze and deep mistrust. Washington is a partner, not an ally in the China/Turkey sense.
Which countries blocked the FATF move against Pakistan in 2018?
China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia — reported by the Wall Street Journal — joined hands to block the US-led effort to place Pakistan on the FATF watch list.
Explore Every Friendship
The full friend-country list, the China deep-dive and the Turkey-Saudi axis — each in its own detailed guide.
Alliances shift with governments and crises; this guide reflects the state of play as of October 2026, drawn from official statements and reputable reporting. Photographs: Wikimedia Commons.