Kuwait seeking expanded defence agreement with Pakistan: Report

Kuwait is negotiating an expanded defence agreement with Pakistan that would include deploying thousands of Pakistani troops, fighter jets, drones and air defence systems, according to Reuters. The talks come as Kuwait faces intensified Iranian strikes in retaliation for the US-Israeli war on Iran, with a power and desalination plant damaged Friday. The move underscores Pakistan's growing role as an alternative security partner in the Gulf alongside the US, following a similar 2025 mutual defence pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The arrangement would expand a 2023 security agreement between the two countries. Pakistan maintains cordial ties with Iran while serving as a US security partner, positioning Islamabad as a potential mediator in regional conflicts. Kuwait hosts over 14,000 US troops and two major American military bases but is seeking additional defence capabilities given its vulnerability to Iranian and Iraqi militia strikes.