• Agreement signed in 2023 to boost defence cooperation, institutional linkages between armed forces of both countries
• Kuwaiti foreign minister holds meetings with PM Shehbaz, CDF Munir and DPM Dar

ISLAMABAD: Paki­stan on Wednesday welcomed Kuwait’s ratification of the bilateral defence cooperation agreement, describing it as a milestone that would further strengthen defe­nce cooperation and institutional linkages between the armed forces of the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed Kuw­ait’s recent ratification of the agreement during talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Jar­rah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who is visiting Islamabad in what is the first visit by a Kuwaiti foreign minister in more than five years.

“Recognising the longstanding defence partnership between Pakistan and Kuwait, the deputy prime minister welcomed Kuwait’s recent ratification of the Pakistan-Kuwait Defence Coopera­tion Agreement, signed in June 2023,” the FO said in a statement after the meeting.

It added that FM Dar noted the agreement “marks an important mil­e­stone in bilateral defence relations and will further strengthen institutional linkages between the armed forces of the two countries while enhancing defence cooperation”.

The visit took place soon after Kuwait formally ratified the agreement through a decree-law published in the official gaz­ette Kuwait Al-Youm, nearly three years after it was signed in Kuwait on June 11, 2023. The ratification follows a noticeable uptick in high-level contacts between the two countries over the past couple of mon­ths, including exchanges between senior military officials and discussions on expanding defence cooperation, as Kuwait broadened its security partnerships amid continuing volatility across the Gulf.

The agreement establishes a comprehensive institutional framework for defence cooperation covering military training and education, joint exercises, exchanges of military personnel, technical experts and specialists, scientific and technological collaboration, logistics cooperation, military intelligence and other mutually agreed areas. It is designed to strengthen cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries rather than provide for troop deployments or arms procurement.

FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi described the ratification as another milestone in the longstanding defence partnership dating back to the early 1980s.

“The agreement provides a comprehensive institutional framework for expanding defence cooperation, encompassing military training and education, joint exercises, exchanges of expertise, and other mutually agreed areas of collaboration,” Mr Andrabi said, adding that Pakistan and Kuwait would “continue to work closely to implement the agreement in accordance with its provisions,” thereby further strengthening their enduring defence partnership and contributing to regional peace, security and stability.

Implementation of the agreement will be overseen through annual executive protocols and programmes and coordinated by a joint military committee, headed by representatives appointed by the defence ministers of the two countries, which will meet annually to review cooperation, organise training activities and oversee implementation. The agreement also provides for regular exchanges of official visits, protection of classified information and resolution of any disputes through bilateral consultations rather than third-party arbitration.

Kuwaiti FM meets PM, CDF

The Kuwaiti minister also called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House. During the meeting, the premier reaffirmed Pakistan’s full solidarity with the leadership and people of Kuwait and strongly condemned the attacks on Kuwait and other Gulf countries during the Iran war. He said Pakistan was playing its part as a sincere mediator and facilitator in regional peace efforts and thanked the Kuwaiti leadership for its support for these efforts.

On bilateral relations, the prime minister expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of ties and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Kuwait in diverse fields.

He also praised the Kuwaiti government for generously hosting the Pakistani community and acknowledged its valuable contribution to Kuwait’s socio-economic development.

Another engagement during the Kuw­aiti foreign minister’s visit was his meeting with Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Mun­ir at the General Headquarters in Rawal­pindi. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, “matters of mutual interest, regional security and steps to further strengthen bilateral cooperation were discussed” during the meeting.

During the delegation-level talks, FM Dar and Sheikh Jarrah agreed to establish joint working groups in energy, trade and investment, agriculture and food security, information technology, education and health, and decided to meet periodically to review their progress and ensure timely implementation. The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination at multilateral forums, including the United Nations.

Syed Irfan Raza also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2026