ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kuwait on Thursday signed a new defence agreement aimed at expanding military cooperation in areas including training, capacity building and border management between their armed forces.

The “Protocol Agreement-2026” was signed in Islamabad by senior officials from the two countries, significantly strengthening the existing military cooperation framework established under the Defence Cooperation Agreement-2023, the Ministry of Defence said.

The development came during a meeting between Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Kuwait’s Minister of Defence Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Saleem Al-Sabah, who was leading a high-level delegation to Pakistan.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, with particular focus on bilateral defence relations, security cooperation and further strengthening defence ties between Pakistan and Kuwait.

Under the new agreement, the Pakistan Armed Forces will extend assistance to the Kuwaiti Armed Forces in various areas, including training, capacity building, border management and other mutually agreed fields of defence cooperation.

The Ministry of Defence said the agreement reflected the deep trust, mutual respect and shared strategic interests underpinning the longstanding defence relationship between the two countries.

Both sides also reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen the bilateral defence partnership in support of mutual security, regional peace and stability.

Earlier, the Kuwaiti defence delegation met Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations.

The meeting focused on matters of mutual interest, regional security and bilateral defence cooperation.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing institutional ties and expanding mutually beneficial defence collaboration between Pakistan and Kuwait.

The Kuwaiti delegation appreciated the professionalism, operational excellence and contributions of the Pakistan Armed Forces towards regional peace and stability.

The engagement reaffirmed the resolve of Pakistan and Kuwait to further consolidate their historic and brotherly relations into a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial defence partnership aimed at contributing to regional security and stability.