Pakistan has signed a bilateral defense agreement with Kuwait, expanding its military cooperation with another Gulf state shortly after joining a trilateral defense alliance with Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
The agreement was signed in Islamabad on Thursday, August 27, during a visit by Kuwait’s Defence Minister Sheikh Abdullah Al Sabah. He held talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, before the two sides formally signed the defence agreement.
According to a statement issued by the Kuwaiti military, the agreement is aimed at significantly strengthening bilateral cooperation in the defence and military sectors. The pact is expected to provide a framework for expanding military ties and creating new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.
The agreement also comes against the backdrop of heightened security concerns in the Gulf region. Both Pakistan and Kuwait have been affected by the broader confrontation between the United States and Iran. Since the war between Washington and Tehran began on February 28, Iran has carried out repeated drone and missile attacks targeting U.S. military facilities in Gulf countries.
Kuwait has been among the Gulf states significantly affected by the Iranian attacks, making the strengthening of its defence capabilities and security arrangements an increasingly important priority.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has sought to play a mediating role between the United States and Iran since the conflict began. Islamabad has continued diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions and maintaining channels of communication between the two sides.
Earlier this month, on August 7, Pakistan joined a trilateral defence alliance with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The agreement was signed in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and has been referred to by some media outlets as the “Mecca Pact” or “Mecca Alliance.”
The trilateral defence framework brings together Saudi Arabia’s financial strength, Turkey’s advanced military technology and drone capabilities, and Pakistan’s military manpower and nuclear capabilities as key strategic assets.
Just two weeks after entering the defence framework with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Pakistan has now signed a separate defence agreement with Kuwait. The rapid expansion of military ties indicates that Islamabad may be seeking to deepen its strategic and defence relationships across the Gulf.
With the security situation in the region remaining highly sensitive amid the U.S.-Iran conflict, the new Pakistan-Kuwait agreement could add another dimension to the evolving strategic landscape of the Gulf.
Source: The National