The Place of Hydropolitical Factors in Iran-Pakistan Military Relations

Military relations between Iran and Pakistan are influenced by a set of environmental, strategic, cultural, and geoeconomic factors in the dynamic geopolitical context of the region. One of the key but less studied components is "hydropolitics" or the policy surrounding shared water resources. This research aims to analyze the position and extent of the impact of hydropolitical factors on military relations between Iran and Pakistan. The research methodology is of a mixed type (qualitative-quantitative) and is applied in terms of purpose and is based on library data, interviews with experts, and statistical analysis of completed questionnaires. The findings show that hydropolitical components such as border rivers, the maritime border of Goiter, and water borders in the Sea of Oman play different roles in the three dimensions of "importance", "substrate formation", and "intervention" in military relations. Based on the Friedman test and Shannon entropy analysis, “maritime borders in the Sea of Oman” had the most influential and supportive role, while “border rivers” were of great importance. The results also showed that the “supporting” component, with a weight of 0.52, is the most important dimension in influencing the military relations between the two countries. Finally, the research, by presenting an analytical model, shows that a precise understanding of hydropolitical components and the way of managing shared water resources can provide a platform for interaction, reducing tension, and promoting military cooperation between the two countries. Therefore, paying attention to environmental geopolitics is essential in formulating Iran’s military and security strategies towards Pakistan.