Pakistan-Kuwait Defence Pact May Expand Amid Gulf Shift from US
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Security
Why in news
Kuwait is seeking a major expansion of its defence pact with Pakistan, similar to Pakistan's mutual defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, as Gulf nations explore alternatives to US security guarantees. The move comes amid heightened US-Iran tensions and Iran-aligned attacks on Gulf states, raising concerns about Pakistan's potential entanglement in regional conflicts.
Background
Pakistan and Kuwait signed a limited defence deal in June 2023 covering training and joint exercises. In 2025, Pakistan signed a mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia, stating that aggression against one is an attack on the other. Kuwait has faced heavy attacks from Iran in 2026, prompting it to seek a larger Pakistani military commitment.
Key facts
Kuwait ratified the original defence pact with Pakistan (signed June 2023) after high-level military contacts.
Kuwait is seeking a show of force similar to Pakistan's Saudi pact, including thousands of troops, fighter jets, drones, and air defence systems.
A Pakistani security official said Pakistan is not considering deployment of combat troops at this stage.
Talks for a wider cooperation agreement remain at an early stage, per five sources.
The expanded pact could be complicated by US-Iran tensions, as Pakistan's Saudi pact already raised concerns about being drawn into the US-Iran war.
After a Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia, nuclear-armed Pakistan told Iran it would treat attacks on the kingdom as attacks on itself.
Kuwait has come under heavy attacks from Iran in 2026, including on an oil facility and a power/water plant.
Pakistan is negotiating the defence pact in exchange for energy cooperation and investment from Kuwait.
Prelims pointers
- Pakistan-Kuwait defence pact signed June 2023
- Pakistan-Saudi Arabia mutual defence pact signed 2025
- Houthi movement (Yemen) attack on Saudi Arabia
- Iran-aligned groups in the region
- US-Iran tensions
- Nuclear-armed Pakistan
Mains angles
- GS2: India's strategic concerns over Pakistan's expanding defence ties in the Gulf
- GS2: Impact of US disengagement from the Gulf on regional security dynamics
- GS3: Implications for India's energy security and Gulf diaspora
- GS2: Pakistan's role as a potential mediator between US and Iran