Pakistan, Kuwait sign military cooperation agreement

Pakistan and Kuwait have signed a new military cooperation agreement, deepening their defense ties amid ongoing regional tensions in the Middle East. The Protocol Agreement 2026 was signed in Rawalpindi on Thursday, August 27, 2026, by Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and a high-level Kuwaiti delegation led by Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. The agreement builds upon and significantly enhances the existing defense cooperation framework established under a 2023 pact that Kuwait recently ratified. Under the new protocol, Pakistan's armed forces will provide assistance to Kuwait in several areas, including joint military training, capacity building, border management, intelligence sharing, and defense technology collaboration. The deal also provides for cooperation in military manufacturing, research and development, and regular joint exercises and bilateral visits. According to officials, the agreement is valid for five years with automatic renewal clauses unless either country formally opts to withdraw. The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Defense in Rawalpindi.