ISLAMABAD: In a significant move to bolster military cooperation, Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia held discussions on potential collaboration in military technologies, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday.

The talks took place at the second meeting of the Trilateral Defence Industrial Collaboration, which was convened at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. This meeting follows the inaugural session of the committee held in Riyadh last August. The forum had been established to enhance cooperation in the field of defence among the three countries.

“The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss prospective collaboration in defence equipment technologies, including research and development,” the ISPR said.

The three countries emphasised the importance of pooling intellectual, technical, financial, and human resources to achieve shared objectives and attain self-sufficiency in the defence sector. They acknowledged their historical ties and reiterated their strategic intent to expand the scope of trilateral cooperation. The need to accelerate collaboration efforts in pursuit of common goals was also underscored.

Call for pooling resources to achieve shared objectives, attain self-sufficiency in defence sector

The three sides resolved to hold the next meeting on Trilateral Defence Industrial Collaboration during the World Defence Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, scheduled for February 2024. This continued dialogue marks a significant step in strengthening defence ties and technological collaboration between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia.

On the sidelines of the trilateral dialogue, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia conducted their bilateral defence collaboration meeting, marking the third edition of the Pakistan-KSA Defence Collaboration Committee discussions, according to ISPR.

During the meeting, the participants engaged in detailed discussions on issues of bilateral interest and the evolving global security environment. The two sides focused their deliberations on the rapid advancements in military technologies and emphasised the necessity for defence industrial cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to fulfill shared objectives.

Both countries expressed a strong mutual desire to enhance defence cooperation across all domains, aiming to achieve self-sufficiency in defence production. The forum also highlighted the importance of exploring further avenues for defence cooperation and accelerating the pace of their collaborative efforts.

This meeting underscores the growing defence relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and reflects their commitment to deepening bilateral ties in the defense sector, addressing modern challenges, and collaborating on technological advancements.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2024