Pakistan and Kuwait ink defence pact to boost military training and border security
Pakistan and Kuwait signed a new defence protocol in Rawalpindi, expanding cooperation that includes training, logistics and border management support.
In Rawalpindi, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah signed the Protocol Agreement-2026, extending a cooperation framework first established in 2023. The pact tasks Pakistan’s armed forces with training Kuwaiti troops, enhancing logistics, sharing intelligence and assisting border security with Iraq. Unlike Pakistan’s earlier Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia, this accord does not contain a mutual-defence clause but creates a more institutionalised partnership overseen by a joint military committee.
Experts say the move signals Kuwait’s shift toward a structured security arrangement and fits a pattern of Gulf nations seeking diversified defence partners. Pakistan’s nuclear status and diplomatic positioning between the US and Iran make it an attractive ally, while potential economic benefits for Islamabad could include energy subsidies or expanded labour visas. The agreement arrives as regional tensions rise following recent attacks on US and Kuwaiti targets and broader concerns over Gulf security guarantees.
Why it matters
The pact deepens Pakistan's role in Gulf security and may reshape defence ties amid rising regional tensions.
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