Pakistan-Russia Relationship after 1947
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Pakistan and Russia (or its predecessor state, the Soviet Union) have had a complex relationship since Pakistan's independence in 1947. In the early years of Pakistan's existence, the Soviet Union recognized Pakistan and established diplomatic relations with it. However, relations between the two countries were cool during the early years of the Cold War, as Pakistan was aligned with the United States and the West while the Soviet Union was aligned with India and other socialist countries.
During the 1970s, Pakistan and the Soviet Union began to cooperate more closely on a number of issues. The Soviet Union played a key role in ending the war between Pakistan and India over Bangladesh in 1971, and the two countries signed a number of economic and military agreements during the 1970s and 1980s. However, Pakistan's close alliance with the United States during the Cold War remained a source of tension between the two countries.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia and Pakistan began to explore the possibility of closer relations. In the 2000s, Russia began to view Pakistan as a potential partner in the fight against terrorism and extremism, and the two countries began to increase their cooperation in areas such as defense, counterterrorism, and energy.
In recent years, the relationship between Pakistan and Russia has continued to strengthen, with both countries expressing a desire to expand economic and trade ties. In 2018, Russia and Pakistan conducted their first joint military exercise, and Russia has also expressed interest in participating in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major infrastructure project in Pakistan.
Overall, while the relationship between Pakistan and Russia has been marked by periods of tension and mistrust, the two countries have also found common ground on a number of issues and have taken steps to improve their relationship in recent years.