Pakistan pushes for Arab-Islamic NATO: Can it turn an anti-Israel bloc into military lever against India?

This handout picture released by the he Qatar News Agency (QNA) shows Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani (C) posing for a group picture with leaders, heads of state and other officials during the 2025 Arab-Islamic emergency summit in Doha on September 15, 2025. (Photo by Qatar News Agency / AFP)

An emergency summit in Doha this week brought together leaders from more than 40 Arab and Islamic nations. The meeting, called in the aftermath of Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, was billed as a show of unity. The outcome was largely limited to condemnations and broad pledges. Yet one idea drew loud applause: the formation of a NATO-style military alliance for Muslim-majority states.

The Doha gathering featured a significant line-up. Pakistan, the world’s only nuclear-armed Muslim country, and Turkey, a NATO member with a record of siding with Islamabad against India, were both present. The presence of these two states gave the military alliance proposal a sharper edge. For New Delhi, the prospect of an “Arab-Islamic NATO” with Pakistan at its core carries potential security implications.

Pakistan uses Doha stage to elevate itself

Islamabad seized the summit as an opportunity to showcase itself as the champion of Muslim causes. It did so in its usual style: vocal, aggressive and self-promotional. Pakistan co-sponsored the event and lobbied hard for an “Arab-Islamic task force” to monitor what it called “Israeli designs.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar represented Pakistan. Dar, who repeatedly invoked Muslim solidarity, declared: “It (Israel) should not be allowed to get away with attacking Islamic countries and killing people with impunity.” He added that the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims were “eyeing this summit” for a “clear roadmap.”

Sharif went a step further, assuring Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Pakistan’s support at the UN Security Council, where it holds a non-permanent seat until 2026. This was a calculated attempt to tie Pakistan’s global position to the proposed alliance.

Turkey adds its weight but stays cautious

Turkey, while amplifying the anti-Israel narrative, stopped short of endorsing outright military action. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instead called for economic pressure on Israel, describing its strikes as a “greedy, bloodthirsty” assault on sovereignty. Even so, Ankara’s presence alongside Islamabad raises questions for India, particularly because Turkey has been echoing Pakistan’s position on Kashmir.

India has not forgotten the recent four-day mini-war in May, when Ankara provided Pakistan with military hardware as well as personnel and technicians. In a NATO-like arrangement where an attack on one member triggers a joint response, the stakes for India would be far higher.

Why India should worry

Pakistan has a long history of leveraging multilateral platforms for its own objectives. It has used Arab funding, played up its Islamic credentials and consistently internationalised Kashmir at forums like the OIC. Its record suggests that participation in an Arab-Islamic NATO would be no different.

A military pact that includes both Pakistan and Turkey could embolden Islamabad. It would provide another venue for anti-India activity, this time under the guise of collective security. The presence of nuclear weapons only raises the stakes.

India’s close ties with Israel further complicate the picture. New Delhi imports more than $2 billion worth of defence equipment annually from Israel and also relies on it for energy and agricultural technology. Even though India has maintained a balanced approach to the Palestine-Israel conflict, including a recent UN General Assembly vote for a Palestinian state, it risks being seen as aligned with Israel in the eyes of such a bloc.

Why this alliance may still fizzle

For now, the “Arab-Islamic NATO” remains largely a slogan aimed at Israel. Major players like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt maintain friendly ties with India and are unlikely to allow Pakistan to dominate the agenda. Internal rivalries among the proposed members could also make coordination difficult.

Still, Pakistan’s role as a vocal advocate of the alliance cannot be ignored. By portraying itself as the military vanguard of the Muslim world, Islamabad is seeking to gain strategic depth and legitimacy at a time of economic crisis and political instability at home.