By Iftikhar Mashwani
Islamabad: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are advancing plans to store up to 17 million barrels of strategic oil reserves at Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, a move that could reposition Pakistan as a key Eurasian energy-security corridor while reducing Gulf dependence on the vulnerable Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.
The initiative comes in the aftermath of the 2026 Strait of Hormuz disruption, which exposed the fragility of regional energy supply chains and underscored the strategic risks associated with concentrated maritime transit routes. The crisis highlighted how rapidly interruptions at critical chokepoints can affect military preparedness, industrial operations, and broader economic stability across South Asia.
Energy analysts view Gwadar as an increasingly important alternative logistics hub linking the Gulf, South Asia, and western China through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). By expanding strategic petroleum storage infrastructure in Gwadar, Gulf producers could diversify export pathways while strengthening long-term energy security partnerships with Pakistan.
Officials familiar with the discussions say the proposed reserves would support emergency supply stabilization, enhance regional fuel security, and elevate Pakistan’s strategic role in emerging Eurasian trade and energy networks.
The development also reflects broader geopolitical shifts in regional energy planning, with Gulf states seeking resilient alternatives to traditional maritime routes amid rising security concerns in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waterways.
