Pakistan and Kuwait are conducting negotiations to expand the defense agreement between the two countries, Reuters reported Friday, citing five officials familiar with the details. According to the report, Kuwait seeks to strengthen security cooperation with Islamabad against the backdrop of the strikes it has sustained from Iran in recent months, while Pakistan is demanding in return cooperation in the energy sector and investments.
The contacts between the nations remain at an early stage, and Kuwaiti officials are seeking to broaden the defense cooperation so that it will also include forces, fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and air defense systems. Reuters reported that Pakistan, on its part, is demanding cooperation in the fields of energy and investments, but is not considering at this stage the deployment of combat forces in the country.
As part of the contacts, Pakistan also seeks to promote cooperation in the field of energy security. Among other options, the parties are examining the possibility of establishing a fuel storage facility in Kuwait, which would build on an existing diesel supply agreement between the two countries. According to two of the officials, the sides are expected to accelerate negotiations once tensions between the US and Iran subside.
