By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening defence ties, with a renewed focus on expanding military-to-military cooperation through bilateral and multilateral exercises, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.

The understanding was reached during the official visit of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, NI (M), HJ, Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), where he held high-level meetings with the Saudi defence leadership.

During the visit, Air Chief Marshal Sidhu called on His Royal Highness Lieutenant General Turki bin Bander bin Abdulaziz, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF), and General Fayiadh bin Hameed Al-Rowaily, Chief of the General Staff of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Upon his arrival, the PAF Chief was accorded a Guard of Honour by a contingent of the Royal Saudi Air Force, reflecting the warmth and respect characterising the bilateral relationship.

According to ISPR, the meetings focused on a wide range of issues including bilateral defence cooperation, the evolving regional security environment and future avenues for collaboration. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the existing level of cooperation and agreed to further enhance engagement through joint training, operational collaboration and the exchange of professional expertise. The Pakistan–KSA Defence Agreement was highlighted as a symbol of mutual trust and the enduring brotherly relations between the two nations.

Air Chief Marshal Sidhu underscored the historic and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, reiterating his commitment to strengthening military-to-military cooperation through both bilateral and multilateral exercises. He also briefed the Saudi leadership on the transformation of the Pakistan Air Force into a robust Multi Domain Force, integrating space, cyber, electronic warfare and artificial intelligence capabilities. He noted that these advancements had been demonstrated through the PAF’s operational performance and its ability to adapt to emerging security challenges.

The Saudi defence leadership, in turn, lauded the professionalism, operational excellence and high state of combat readiness of the Pakistan Air Force. They expressed strong interest in expanding joint training initiatives and operational collaboration, particularly in the domain of Multi Domain Operations. Saudi officials also appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability, acknowledging its contributions to security cooperation in the wider region.

The visit, ISPR said, underscores the depth of the strategic partnership between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It reflects the shared resolve of both countries to further strengthen cooperation in defence and aviation, while reinforcing their long-standing relationship built on trust, mutual respect and common strategic interests.

With both sides agreeing to broaden collaboration across emerging domains of warfare and operational planning, the engagement is expected to pave the way for more comprehensive joint exercises and institutional linkages, reinforcing the defence partnership between Islamabad and Riyadh in the years ahead.