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Kuwait–Pakistan relations

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Kuwait–Pakistan relations
Map indicating locations of Pakistan and Kuwait

Pakistan
Kuwait

Kuwait–Pakistan relations refer to bilateral relations between Kuwait and Pakistan. Pakistan has an embassy in Kuwait City and Kuwait has an embassy in Islamabad and a consulate in Karachi. Kuwait and Pakistan are members of OIC.

Commercial, economic and cultural ties

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Pakistani forces took an active part in the liberation of Kuwait along with coalition forces in 1991, following the after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. After the end of the first Gulf War in 1991 Pakistani army engineers were involved in mine-clearance operations in the country. The present level of Kuwaiti exports to Pakistan is $750 million to $1.0 billion. Pakistani exports to Kuwait are $50 million. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan sent hundreds of doctors, nurses and technicians to Kuwait.[1][2][3]

Expatriate communities

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The number of Pakistanis living in Kuwait is estimated to be around 107,084 .[4]

Aid to Pakistan

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Kuwait was also the first country to send aid to isolated mountain villages in Kashmir after the quake of 2005,[5] also offering the largest amount of aid in the aftermath of the quake ($100m).[6]

In response to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, the Kuwaiti government pledged Pakistan US$100 million.[7] Moreover, in the aftermath of the 2010 Pakistan floods, the Kuwaiti government lifted a long-standing ban on collecting donations in public.

Defence cooperation

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Kuwait and Pakistan have maintained defence cooperation as part of their broader bilateral relationship. The two countries have engaged in military training, professional exchanges and cooperation between their armed forces over several decades.[8]

On 11 June 2023, Kuwait and Pakistan signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement in Kuwait City to provide a framework for cooperation between their defence establishments.[9] The agreement covers areas including military training and education, exchange of expertise, intelligence cooperation, logistics, defence technology, scientific research and institutional collaboration between the Kuwait Armed Forces and the Pakistan Armed Forces. The agreement also provides for cooperation in fields including defence manufacturing, electronic communication systems, military research, cultural activities and exchanges related to military affairs. A joint military committee was established to oversee implementation, coordinate activities, and facilitate military exercises, official visits and other programmes between the two sides.[10]

In July 2026, Kuwait formally approved the agreement through a decree-law published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm, three years after its signing.[11] The agreement was approved for an initial period of five years and established a framework for institutional defence cooperation rather than a mutual defence commitment requiring automatic military deployment.[12] The agreement strengthened existing defence ties between Kuwait and Pakistan by creating formal mechanisms for cooperation in training, military coordination, and exchange of knowledge between the two countries' armed forces.[13][14]

The next month, Kuwaiti defence minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Saleem Al-Sabah visited Pakistan's defence ministry in Rawalpindi to meet his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Asif and expand the existing defence cooperation agreement.[15] Protocol Agreement-2026 was signed on the occasion, which expanded the defence ties between the two countries and required Pakistan to provide training, capacity building, and border-management assistance to Kuwait.[16][17] It also covered operational coordination, expertise sharing, and military readiness.[18] The protocol was signed in the backdrop of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, which had been signed only a few weeks prior.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "196 Pakistani medical workers sent to Kuwait to fight pandemic". www.thenews.com.pk. 29 December 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Pakistan says Kuwait has awarded permanent contracts to 140 of its doctors". Arab News PK. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "Pakistan sent over 3,500 medical workers to Kuwait during pandemic — PM aide". Arab News PK. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  4. ↑ "Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan". Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2012.\story_27-2-2010_pg11_8
  5. ↑ "Government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir". ajk.gov.pk.
  6. ↑ "BBC NEWS - South Asia - Race to save earthquake survivors". bbc.co.uk. 12 October 2005.
  7. ↑ Kuwaiti ambassador work to enhance ties with Pakistan Zawya [permanent dead link]
  8. ↑ Kochhar, Maj Gen (Dr) Rajan (24 July 2026). "The New Gulf Equation". raksha-anirveda.com. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Kuwait and Pakistan signed Defence Cooperation Agreement". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Pakistan). Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Pakistan and Kuwait 'mulling defence pact'". Dawn. 18 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Haider, Mateen. "Kuwait Approves Defence Cooperation Pact With Pakistan". WE News English. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  12. ↑ "Kuwait Approves Defense Cooperation Agreement with Pakistan". Jordan News. 26 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Kuwait ratifies defense cooperation agreement with Pakistan". Anadolu (in Turkish). 27 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Snan,KUNA, Nebal (26 July 2026). "Kuwait, Pakistan seal defense pact - Nebal Snan,KUNA". Kuwait Times. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Pakistan, Kuwait move to ramp up defence ties, sign 'Protocol Agreement-2026'". The Express Tribune. 27 August 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026. According to the statement, a high-level Kuwaiti delegation, led by Kuwaiti Defence Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Saleem Al-Sabah ... called on Defence Minister Khawaja Asif at the Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi.
  16. ↑ "Pakistan, Kuwait move to ramp up defence ties, sign 'Protocol Agreement-2026'". The Express Tribune: "Pakistan and Kuwait on Thursday signed the ‘Protocol Agreement-2026’ to expand bilateral defence cooperation and enhance their existing military cooperation framework."
  17. ↑ Khan, Naimat (27 August 2026). "Pakistan, Kuwait sign expanded defense agreement amid regional tensions". Arab News. Retrieved 28 August 2026.  ... with Islamabad to provide training, capacity building and border-management assistance to the Gulf state ...
  18. ↑ Ata, Huda (28 August 2026). "Kuwait, Pakistan sign defence and military cooperation agreement". Gulf News. Retrieved 28 August 2026. Agreement aims to boost operational coordination, expertise sharing and military readiness
  19. ↑ Khan 2026: "The new protocol builds on a 2023 defense cooperation agreement between the two countries and comes weeks after Kuwait ratified that pact and Pakistan joined Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in a separate mutual defense agreement ..."
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