Kuwait Al-Youm published Decree-Law No. 73/2026 on Sunday formally ratifying the defense cooperation agreement between Kuwait and Pakistan that had been signed three years earlier. The decree followed review of the constitution and an Amiri Order issued in May 2024 along with a proposal from the minister of foreign affairs that secured approval from the council of ministers. Implementation now falls to the relevant ministers within their jurisdictions and the measure takes effect immediately upon its appearance in the official gazette.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recorded that the pact was signed on June 11 2023 at Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense by Ambassador Malik Muhammad Farooq and Brigadier General Fawaz Khudair Muhammad Al-Harbi. The agreement affirms longstanding political diplomatic and religious bonds between the two countries while committing both sides to cooperation consistent with the United Nations Charter and their respective national laws. It sets the stage for expanded collaboration across multiple defense domains without conflicting with other international obligations either nation maintains.
According to the published decree the accord encompasses military training and education armed forces coordination logistics support and the exchange of personnel experts technicians and specialists. Cooperation also extends to scientific and technological fields military intelligence information systems defense industries military media and joint sports cultural or social activities as mutually determined. Annual plans will outline specific joint training education programs and exercises through dedicated executive protocols that alternate venues between the two capitals.
The Ministry of Defense in each country bears responsibility for carrying out the agreement’s terms a joint military committee composed of representatives from both sides will coordinate all activities. Defense ministers from Kuwait and Pakistan will appoint co-chairs for the panel which convenes once a year in rotating locations to review completed work approve future plans and set implementation schedules. A Reuters report published nine days before the ratification noted that Kuwait has maintained a limited defense training arrangement with Pakistan since the 2023 signing and is now exploring a broader pact that could involve additional troop deployments and equipment in return for energy cooperation and investment commitments.
Strict confidentiality rules form a central element of the ratified agreement with both parties required to safeguard all exchanged information documents and materials. Neither side may transfer such items to third parties without explicit written consent and obligations to protect classified data continue even after the pact expires. The decree also addresses intellectual property arising from collaborative projects granting each country rights over independent research while mandating shared ownership and mutual approval for any joint outputs or marketing efforts.
Financial provisions operate on a reciprocity basis under which the host nation covers travel accommodation and emergency medical costs for short official visits unless other arrangements are agreed. Any disputes over interpretation or application must be resolved through direct negotiations and consultations without involvement of external courts or arbitrators. The agreement runs for an initial five-year term with automatic renewal for identical periods unless one government provides six months advance written notice of termination in which case ongoing projects continue until completion.
Bilateral defense relations have deepened steadily since Pakistani forces participated in the 1991 liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation and subsequent mine-clearance operations according to summaries of Kuwait-Pakistan ties maintained by diplomatic archives. The current ratification builds on that foundation by institutionalizing regular high-level exchanges and technical cooperation between the armed forces of both nations. A joint military committee’s annual deliberations are expected to produce concrete programs that further align their strategic interests in the Gulf and broader region.
