Pakistan’s deepening ties with Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore – marked by 2025 PTA negotiations with Vietnam, FTA revival with Thailand, and investment calls for herald untapped trade, tech, and connectivity potentials of mutual growth.
Key Points
- Revived FTA talks with Thailand (November 2025 BPC) and Vietnam PTA (October 2025) offer frameworks for balanced trade, defense collaboration, and CPEC-ASEAN linkages, reducing deficits while enhancing regional stability through counter-terrorism and narcotics control.
- Opportunities abound in IT, halal industries, agriculture, and mining, with Pakistan’s SIFC facilitating access to Central Asia via CPEC, and Singapore’s tech hubs serving as gateways for Pakistani firms into ASEAN’s $3.9 trillion market.
- Timeless shared histories in anti-colonial struggles and Gandhara-Buddhist links blend with 2024 trade data showing 23% growth to $10.45 billion overall. This underscores analytical potentials in digital economy shifts and sustainable connectivity amid global fragmentation.
- Enhanced partnerships promise affordable imports like electronics and chemicals, job creation in SMEs and tourism, and cultural exchanges, bolstering food security through rice stability and health collaborations for everyday benefits.
Pakistan and the emerging ASEAN partners i.e. Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore – share a foundation of strategic geography and mutual aspirations. Pakistan, with its pivotal South Asian position and CPEC access to Central Asia, complements these nations’ dynamic Southeast Asian growth, home to over 400 million people and diverse economies from Singapore’s fintech prowess to Vietnam’s manufacturing boom. This evergreen bond, rooted in 1993 Sectoral Dialogue Partnership has gained momentum in 2024-2025 through high-level engagements, promoting beneficial cooperation for shared prosperity.
Recent developments underscore this promotional trajectory. In October 2025, Pakistan and Vietnam initiated Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) negotiations, aiming for finalization by year-end to boost bilateral trade from $800 million. November 2025 saw the 3rd Pakistan-Thailand Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC), reviving FTA talks stalled for a decade, with trade already at $1.03 billion (Jan-Nov 2024). President Zardari’s November 2025 call with Philippine counterparts emphasized food and pharma trade, building on a new Agriculture MoU. Singapore hosted February 2025 discussions on business ties, highlighting $1.19 billion trade potential. For smaller partners like Brunei and Cambodia, 2025 ASEAN-Pakistan meetings urged SIFC investments, fostering joint ventures in halal and tourism.
These contemporary strides align with evergreen geo-economic rationale: Pakistan’s youthful workforce and resources can fuel ASEAN’s industrial needs, while ASEAN’s tech and markets diversify Pakistan’s exports. Analysis reveals trade imbalances and Pakistan’s deficit with these partners but potentials in value-added sectors like IT and halal could reverse this, per 2025 ASEAN-Pakistan Business Conference insights.
Bilateral trade has grown robustly. Overall ASEAN–Pakistan trade volume rose 23.42% to $10.45 billion in 2024, up from $8.47 billion in 2023. However, if Indonesia and Malaysia are excluded, the volume is roughly $4–5 billion. This trade is mainly concentrated in Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines. The growth reflects ongoing diversification efforts despite global challenges.
To illustrate, consider aggregated trade data:
|
Country |
Total Trade 2024 ($M) |
Pakistan Exports ($M) |
Imports to Pakistan ($M) |
Growth Rate (%) (2023-2024) |
|
Thailand |
1,031 (Jan-Nov) |
250 |
781 |
~10 |
|
Vietnam |
800 |
300 |
500 |
15 |
|
Singapore |
1,193 |
146 |
1,047 |
8 |
|
Philippines |
~500 |
200 |
300 |
12 |
|
Brunei |
1.77 |
1.68 |
0.09 |
5 |
|
Cambodia |
~100 |
50 |
50 |
7 |
|
Laos |
~1 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
Minimal |
|
Myanmar |
~50 |
20 |
30 |
6 |
Sources: Derived from OEC estimates, Trading Economics, and bilateral reports. Growth rates approximate year-over-year.
Top products highlight synergies. Pakistan’s exports focus on agriculture and textiles, meeting ASEAN demand, while imports provide industrial inputs:
|
Top Pakistani Exports (2023-2024) |
Value ($M, approx.) |
Top ASEAN Exports to Pakistan |
Value ($M, approx.) |
|
Rice and Grains |
400 |
Refined Petroleum |
500 |
|
Textiles and Garments |
300 |
Electrical Machinery |
400 |
|
Pharmaceuticals |
150 |
Chemicals and Plastics |
300 |
|
Fruits and Vegetables |
100 |
Automobile Parts |
200 |
|
Sports Goods |
50 |
Rubber Products |
100 |
This data reveals evergreen potentials: Thailand’s auto sector could partner with Pakistan’s emerging EV hubs, Vietnam’s textiles with Pakistani yarn for joint processing, and Singapore’s fintech with Pakistan’s IT talent for digital corridors. Academics note CPEC’s extension as a “Southern Silk Road,” linking Gwadar to ASEAN ports for faster Central Asian access.
Policymakers can draw significant value from the 2024–2028 Practical Cooperation Areas (PCA), which support projects such as digital payment training and robotics collaboration through the ASEAN-Pakistan Cooperation Fund. Investors are also focusing on SIFC’s streamlined approval processes for FDI. Pakistan’s investment outflows to ASEAN reached $59 million in 2023, creating expectations of reciprocal investment, particularly in green energy. Challenges such as non-tariff barriers can be managed through more rational and targeted FTAs. According to expert projections, these measures could potentially double bilateral trade.
For the public, these ties mean tangible gains: stable rice imports from Thailand and Vietnam curbing food prices, Philippine health collaborations, and Brunei’s halal synergies enhancing livelihoods. Evergreen cultural ties (via Gandhara heritage) bolster tourism, with Pakistani arrivals in ASEAN up 15% to 248,788 in 2024.
Conclusion
Pakistan’s 2025 engagements with Thailand, Vietnam Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore – through PTAs, FTAs, and SIFC outreach – signal a geo-economic renaissance. Policymakers should accelerate agreements, investors capitalize on sectoral synergies, academics explore connectivity models, and the public enjoy enhanced opportunities. Rooted in history and driven by data, this alliance promises balanced growth, innovation, and security, benefiting over 650 million people across regions.
* Dr. Muhammad Jahanzaib is the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer (CVO) of Diamanium Thinkers, a global think tank. He holds a PhD in International Relations, specializing in the intersection of geo-politics and geo-economics in Pakistan’s foreign and domestic policy. A double gold medalist and published scholar, he writes on economic intelligence, economic diplomacy, political economy, AI and regional cooperation in South Asia and beyond. He can be reached at jahanzaibdgc@gmail.com.
Key References
- Realizing the Potential of Pakistan-ASEAN Relations – https://issi.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/Pivot-Magazine/Pivot_Magazine_Nov_2024.pdf
- OVERVIEW ASEAN-PAKISTAN SECTORAL DIALOGUE RELATIONS – https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Overview-ASEAN-Pakistan-Relations-as-of-August-2025.pdf
- Pakistan Expands Economic Cooperation with ASEAN – https://vntr.moit.gov.vn/index.php/news/pakistan-expands-economic-cooperation-with-asean-momentum-from-the-vietnam-pakistan-trade-agreement-negotiations
- Pakistan, Vietnam launch talks on preferential trade agreement – https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618837/pakistan
- President Zardari for stronger economic engagement with Philippines – https://www.app.com.pk/national/president-zardari-for-stronger-economic-engagement-with-philippines/
- Pakistan, Singapore ties strengthened with focus on collaboration – https://mettisglobal.news/pakistan-singapore-ties-strengthened-with-focus-on-collaboration
- The 3rd Round of Pakistan-Thailand Bilateral Political Consultations – https://mofa.gov.pk/press-releases/the-3rd-round-of-pakistan-thailand-bilateral-political-consultations
- Thailand-Pakistan trade talks revived after decade – https://www.bilaterals.org/?thailand-pakistan-trade-talks
- Bilateral ASEAN – https://pakembjakarta.com/bilateral-asean/
Islamabad urges ASEAN members to invest in Pakistan’s special zones – https://www.arabnews.com/node/2616414/pakistan