ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and enhance the longstanding fraternal ties between the two countries.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Rajeh Tami Albugamy, in Islamabad on Wednesday, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and enhance the longstanding fraternal ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif met Saudi Ambassador Dr. Rajeh Tami Albugamy in Islamabad to discuss strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and longstanding fraternal ties. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the Pakistan–Saudi Arabia strategic partnership and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation.
@KhawajaMAsif
@KSAmofaEN
@KSAmofaEN#KhawajaAsif #PakistanSaudiArabia #DefenceCooperation #StrategicPartnership #PakistanTV
— Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) October 28, 2026
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to further deepen their strategic partnership and promote mutually beneficial cooperation.
Makkah Defence Alliance Vital for lasting regional peace
Earlier, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar underscored the critical role of the Makkah Alliance for Defence in promoting lasting regional peace and stability, reaffirming Pakistan’s continued diplomatic efforts to advance peace at the regional and international levels.
Dar expressed these views during a meeting with the alliance’s first secretary general, Lieutenant General (Retd) Nauman Mahmood, who called on him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.
ALSO READ: Pakistan’s Deputy PM Dar Calls Makkah Defence Alliance Vital for Lasting Regional Peace
Signed in Makkah on August 7, 2026, the pact established a framework for collective deterrence and defence cooperation. Under its provisions, an armed attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all three.
The three countries already maintain extensive military ties. Pakistan has provided training and technical assistance to Saudi forces for decades, while Islamabad and Ankara have developed close defence links through military training, naval cooperation and defence equipment.
Pakistan reaffirms full support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity
Ishaq Dar on Friday held a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Istanbul on the sidelines of the R4 Group Ministerial Meeting in Istanbul, during which he reaffirmed its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The two leaders reaffirmed the enduring strength of the fraternal ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and their commitment to further strengthening their strategic partnership through close cooperation across all areas of interest and regular consultations at all levels, the Foreign Ministry said.
Islamabad and Riyadh have maintained close relations for decades and have sought to broaden cooperation across several sectors.
In 2024, the two countries signed 34 memorandums of understanding worth $2.8 billion covering multiple areas of cooperation.
The Kingdom remains the country’s largest source of remittances and hosts more than 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates, highlighting the depth of economic and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Riyadh remains one of Islamabad’s largest suppliers of oil on deferred payment terms and has repeatedly placed deposits with the State Bank of Pakistan to help strengthen the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
