Geopolitics of Energy Transition: United States Assistance to Pakistan

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive examination of the United States' role in addressing Pakistan's pressing energy security challenges. As a nation heavily reliant on energy imports, Pakistan faces the critical task of securing substantial technological and economic assistance from major global powers to satisfy its domestic energy requirements. The United States, as an established global leader, not only possesses the advanced technological capabilities necessary to support Pakistan's legitimate energy needs but also holds a strategic position to influence the region's energy landscape. Simultaneously, China has emerged as a key player, demonstrating a robust and growing interest in providing energy assistance to Pakistan. This dual interest from two of the world's foremost powers creates a complex geopolitical environment, requiring Pakistan to perform a delicate diplomatic balancing act to maintain constructive relations with both Washington and Beijing without alienating either.

Employing Power Transition Theory as its central theoretical framework, this paper offers a critical and nuanced evaluation of the rationale underpinning U.S.-Pakistan green energy collaboration, explicitly juxtaposing it with the nature and scope of Chinese involvement in Pakistan's energy sector. The study utilizes a qualitative methodology, incorporating a mixed-methods approach to analyse a diverse array of primary and secondary data sources, including policy documents, bilateral agreements, and scholarly discourse. The central argument posits that the U.S. approach to facilitating a green energy transition in Pakistan is predominantly motivated by its own strategic security interests within the South Asian region, rather than purely developmental or environmental concerns. The analysis further concludes that in the face of intensifying strategic competition from China, the United States must accelerate and substantiate its energy cooperation efforts to remain a relevant and influential partner. Conversely, the findings suggest that Pakistan would benefit most from a diversified and pragmatic strategy, leveraging multiple energy partnerships to maximize its technological, economic, and political gains while navigating the complexities of great-power rivalry.

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