Pakistan and Kuwait on Thursday, August 27, signed a new agreement aimed at expanding defense and military cooperation between the two countries. Under the agreement, the two sides will cooperate in areas including military training, strengthening defense capabilities, border management, and other security- and defense-related fields.
The agreement comes as Pakistan has expanded its defense cooperation in recent weeks with several countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. Officials from both countries said the new agreement is intended to strengthen military cooperation and further develop defense relations between Islamabad and Kuwait.
The agreement was signed in Rawalpindi during a meeting between Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Minister of Defense, and Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s Minister of Defense. The agreement expands the framework for bilateral defense cooperation established in 2023 and extends it to additional areas.
Under the terms of the agreement, the armed forces of Pakistan and Kuwait will cooperate in areas such as military training, enhancing defense capabilities, border management, and other defense-related fields. Officials from both countries have provided further details regarding the scope and implementation of the cooperation.
Kuwait’s defense minister is visiting Pakistan at the head of a high-level military delegation. Khaled Daraj Saad Al-Shereian, Chief of the General Staff of Kuwait’s Armed Forces, is also part of the delegation. The visit is aimed at strengthening defense and military relations between the two countries and enhancing security coordination.
The Kuwaiti delegation also met with Syed Asim Munir, Commander of Pakistan’s Armed Forces, at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. During the meeting, the two sides discussed defense cooperation, regional security developments, and ways to expand military relations between Pakistan and Kuwait, emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation.
Kuwait is among the Gulf countries that have expanded their defense relations with Pakistan in recent months. Pakistan had previously signed a strategic defense agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2025, under which an armed attack against either country would be considered an attack against both.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye also signed the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” on August 7. Under the agreement, an attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all members of the pact. Officials from the three countries described the agreement as an effort to strengthen deterrence, enhance coordination, and expand security and defense cooperation.
The increase in Pakistan’s defense agreements with Gulf countries and Türkiye comes amid growing concerns over the security situation in the Middle East. The trend could indicate efforts by Islamabad and its regional partners to strengthen military cooperation and security coordination in response to ongoing regional developments.
Meanwhile, during the war between Iran and the United States, a number of Gulf countries, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, came under rocket and drone attacks. Some observers believe that the expansion of defense cooperation between Pakistan and regional countries could be linked to heightened security concerns following these attacks. However, Pakistani and Kuwaiti officials have not specifically described the new agreement as a response to Iran.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
