Pakistan and Kuwait in Early Talks Over Expanded Defence Cooperation, Sources Say

Pakistan and Kuwait in Early Talks Over Expanded Defence Cooperation, Sources Say
Pakistan is in discussions with Kuwait over a broader defence partnership, one that would be paired with cooperation on energy and investment, according to five sources familiar with the talks who spoke to Reuters. The conversations are still in their early stages, and all the sources cautioned that the process could take time to mature, particularly given the wider regional tensions currently playing out between the United States and Iran.
This latest development comes just as Pakistan finds itself navigating an increasingly complex web of regional defence relationships. Reuters had reported earlier in the week that Islamabad’s mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia, signed last year, has raised questions domestically about how Pakistan might be positioned if the broader US-Iran standoff escalates further. That concern took on new urgency after the Iran-aligned Houthi movement struck Saudi Arabia on Monday, prompting Pakistan to make clear to Tehran that any future attacks on the Kingdom would be treated as attacks on Pakistan itself.
What Kuwait Is Looking For
Pakistan and Kuwait already have a defence relationship in place, one that has focused on training and joint military exercises since 2023. What’s now being discussed goes considerably further. According to a Pakistani government official, Kuwait is interested in a more substantial arrangement, potentially involving a visible Pakistani troop presence, fighter jets, drones, air defence systems, and other military infrastructure, essentially a framework similar in shape to the pact Pakistan already has with Saudi Arabia.
Whether Islamabad is prepared to commit to something on that scale remains an open question. Pakistan’s agreement with Saudi Arabia grew out of a decades-long, deeply rooted alliance between the two countries, and officials involved in the Kuwait talks have been careful to manage expectations. One security official put it plainly, noting that while Kuwait’s list of requests covers a wide range of options, Pakistan is not currently in a position to consider deploying combat troops as part of any new arrangement.
A source in the Middle East with knowledge of the discussions offered a similar note of caution, saying that while Kuwait and Pakistan have been in active conversations, including around defence procurement, it isn’t yet clear whether these talks will ultimately produce a formal defence pact.
Why Pakistan Appeals to Gulf Partners
The broader context here is a shift that’s been unfolding across the Gulf over the past year, as several countries in the region have grown more interested in diversifying their security partnerships. Pakistan, with its sizeable standing military and its own domestic fighter jet production capability, has increasingly been viewed as a credible option for countries looking to supplement, rather than replace, their existing security relationship with Washington.
A source familiar with Kuwait’s security planning explained that Pakistan is seen as a comparatively low-risk partner in this regard. The source pointed to Pakistan’s established relationship with Saudi Arabia, its long track record in defence development, and its continued good standing with the United States as reasons why a partnership with Islamabad feels less complicated than some of the alternatives Gulf states might otherwise consider.
Pakistan’s outreach in the region hasn’t been limited to Kuwait. Separately, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia have reportedly been working on a draft trilateral mutual defence agreement, distinct from Pakistan’s existing bilateral pact with Riyadh. Bahrain has also expressed interest in a comparable arrangement, while Jordan is said to be exploring a more limited deal centered on weapons and training cooperation.
Energy Cooperation as Part of the Package
For Pakistan, these defence discussions aren’t happening in isolation from its economic priorities. Islamabad has increasingly approached defence partnerships with neighbouring countries as a way to also secure investment and strengthen energy security, an area that has taken on added importance given Pakistan’s continued reliance on imported fuel.
As part of the potential arrangement with Kuwait, Pakistan is looking for cooperation that supports its energy ministry’s broader push to build up the country’s oil and fuel reserves. One avenue currently under discussion is a bonded fuel storage arrangement, which would expand on an existing government-to-government diesel supply agreement already in place between the two countries.
According to two sources, these kinds of energy and investment incentives could be attractive enough to keep Pakistan engaged in pursuing a more substantial defence relationship with Kuwait, even if the scope of any eventual deal ends up more modest than what Kuwait initially proposed. Both sources suggested that talks are likely to gain momentum once the current US-Iran tensions ease. That said, some analysts following the situation have urged caution, suggesting that expectations of a quick resolution once regional tensions calm down may be overly optimistic given how fluid the situation remains.
A Careful Balancing Act
For now, neither Pakistan’s military media wing nor Kuwait’s information ministry has responded publicly to requests for comment on the discussions, and all the sources who spoke to Reuters did so without authorisation to speak on the record, underscoring just how sensitive and preliminary these talks still are.
What’s clear is that Pakistan is being deliberate in how it approaches this next round of regional defence diplomacy. Officials appear focused on calibrating any new commitments carefully, mindful of the country’s existing obligations to Saudi Arabia, its ongoing efforts to mediate between the US and Iran, and the need to avoid overextending its military posture at a moment of heightened regional uncertainty. Whether the Kuwait talks eventually produce a formal agreement, and what shape that might take, will likely depend as much on how the broader regional picture evolves as on the specifics being discussed at the negotiating table today.