Pakistan and Kuwait are negotiating an expanded defence agreement tied to investment and energy cooperation, an international media outlet reported on Friday, citing five sources familiar with the matter.
The discussions are at an early stage and could face complications as military strikes between United States (US) and Iran continue.
Kuwait currently holds a limited defence arrangement with Pakistan for training and joint exercises, which started in 2023.
Kuwait now wants a pact similar to Pakistan’s agreement with Saudi Arabia. A Pakistani government official stated that this includes “thousands of Pakistani troops on the ground, fighter jets, drones, an air defence system, and other defence-related facilities”.
It remains unclear if Pakistan will agree to the terms, given that the Saudi Arabia agreement stems from a decades-old alliance.
“Kuwait’s wish list includes everything,” a Pakistani security official with knowledge of the talks noted. “But let me be clear about one thing: We are not and we cannot consider a deployment of combat troops at this stage.”
A Middle Eastern source confirmed that the two nations are in conversations regarding defence procurement, but maintained that it was “not clear this will amount to a defence pact per se”.
The international media outlet spoke to four Pakistani sources and one Middle Eastern source, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly.
Pakistan’s military media wing and Kuwait’s information ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Under the potential agreement, Islamabad wants cooperation on energy security to assist a push by the Pakistani energy ministry to increase oil and fuel reserves.
