ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: The Pakistan army and Royal Saudi land forces will conduct a six-day joint military exercise in the first week of December, an official statement said on Thursday.

"Mechanised troops of the two armies will participate in the drills to be carried out in the desert environment," Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. This will be the first-ever joint exercise between the two countries, which enjoy close relations in the field of defence and defence production.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have also been closely cooperating in the areas of military education and training. Saudi armed forces regularly send their officers for higher education in Pakistan's National Defence College and other military institutions.

The upcoming drills will help personnel of the two armies to share thoughts on modern warfare and to benefit from each other's experiences in the areas of tactics and latest military doctrines, officials told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. -dpa