Pakistan and Kuwait have agreed to expand their military cooperation under a new defence pact signed in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
The two countries signed the Protocol Agreement-2026, which builds on the defence cooperation framework established by their 2023 agreement. Under the new arrangement, Pakistan's armed forces will assist Kuwait in areas including military training, capacity building and border management.
The agreement was signed during a meeting between Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and a high-level Kuwaiti delegation led by Kuwait's Defence Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Saleem Al-Sabah.
What the new agreement covers
The new pact is designed to broaden the existing military relationship between the two countries.
According to Pakistan's Ministry of Defence, Pakistan's armed forces will provide assistance to their Kuwaiti counterparts in several areas, including training and capacity building. Border management and other mutually agreed areas of defence cooperation are also included.
The agreement does not replace the 2023 defence cooperation framework. Instead, it expands the areas in which the two countries can work together.
Pakistan and Kuwait discuss wider security ties
During the meeting, officials from both sides discussed matters of mutual interest, with particular attention to bilateral defence relations, security cooperation and ways to strengthen military ties.
The Kuwaiti delegation also met Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations statement, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their long-standing defence relationship.
Kuwaiti officials also acknowledged the professionalism and operational experience of the Pakistan Armed Forces and their contributions to regional peace and stability.
A long-standing defence relationship
Pakistan and Kuwait have maintained defence ties for decades, with cooperation involving military training and other areas of security.
The latest agreement gives that relationship a broader framework and creates additional opportunities for cooperation between the two armed forces.
For Kuwait, the focus on training, capacity building and border management provides practical areas for closer military engagement. For Pakistan, the agreement further strengthens its defence relationship with an important Gulf partner.
What the pact means for both countries
The agreement comes at a time when security concerns across the Gulf and wider Middle East remain high.
However, the two governments have not presented the agreement as a new military alliance. Instead, the official statements focus on strengthening existing defence cooperation and expanding practical assistance between their armed forces.
The immediate focus will be on implementing the areas covered by the new protocol, particularly training, capacity building and border management.
Pakistan and Kuwait have described the agreement as a reflection of the trust, mutual respect and shared strategic interests that underpin their long-standing relationship.
