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The approach relies on leveraging instability, ideological networks and strategic partnerships---particularly with Pakistan---to erode Gulf influence over time. (iStock)
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News18•27-01-2026, 15:16

Turkey's Quiet Play: Ankara & Pakistan Undermine Gulf Power Without Direct Fight

  • •Turkey is strategically weakening Gulf dominance by exploiting regional fault lines and leveraging instability, rather than direct confrontation with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
  • •Ankara benefits from instability around the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which disrupts Saudi and Emirati port ambitions, while Turkey acts as a diplomatic mediator.
  • •Turkey uses Muslim Brotherhood-aligned Yemeni factions and humanitarian narratives to subtly weaken Saudi-backed structures and gain diplomatic leverage without military involvement.
  • •A key pillar is Turkey's deepening alignment with Pakistan, using its military and diplomatic clout to internationalise Turkish positions and shift institutional loyalties.
  • •This strategy poses a slow-burn challenge for India, affecting trade through the Red Sea-Suez corridor, providing Pakistan strategic breathing space, and fueling anti-India narratives.

Why It Matters: Turkey and Pakistan are subtly eroding Gulf influence through strategic partnerships and exploiting regional instability.

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