Kuwait approves Defence Cooperation Agreement with Pakistan

Kuwait has approved a Defence Cooperation Agreement with Pakistan, formalising a framework for military cooperation between the two countries at a time of heightened tension in the Gulf.

The agreement originally signed in 2023 and now ratified and published in Kuwait's official gazette provides for cooperation in areas such as military training, joint exercises, personnel exchanges and advisory support, and establishes a joint military committee to guide the relationship through regular consultations.

Officials from both sides have said the agreement is intended to deepen long-standing defence ties and expand practical cooperation between their armed forces.

The move comes as Pakistan steadily broadens its defence relationships across the Gulf. In September 2025, Islamabad the Muslim world's only nuclear-armed state signed a mutual defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, and several other regional governments have since signalled interest in closer security arrangements with it.

Separately, news agencies have reported that Kuwait and Pakistan are in early-stage talks over a more ambitious defence pact, potentially linked to energy cooperation and investment. Those discussions, which are said to remain preliminary, are distinct from the training-focused agreement now approved, and neither government has confirmed their details.

The formalisation of defence ties carries added weight this year. Kuwait, which hosts a large US military presence, has been among the Gulf states struck during the confrontation between Iran and the United States, reporting damage to power and water infrastructure in recent Iranian attacks. Analysts say such pressures have pushed several Gulf states to seek broader security guarantees.