Pakistan, Saudi Arabia advance defense cooperation in Riyadh talks

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have moved to further consolidate their defense partnership during a series of high-level meetings in Riyadh, where senior military leaders reviewed ongoing collaboration and outlined new areas for joint development in line with shared regional security priorities.

Lieutenant General Syed Aamer Raza, Chief of General Staff (CGS) of the Pakistan Army, met General Fayyadh Bin Hameed Al-Rowaily, Chief of General Staff of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces.

According to ISPR, the two sides discussed matters of mutual strategic interest, with a particular focus on strengthening bilateral defense cooperation, enhancing interoperability and advancing collaboration under the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA).

Both commanders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the long-standing defense ties between Pakistan and the Kingdom, emphasizing their shared interest in regional peace, stability and greater self-reliance in defense capabilities.

Alongside the CGS-level engagement, Riyadh also hosted a Special Meeting of the Pakistan-KSA Bilateral Defense Industrial Forum.

The Pakistan tri-services delegation, led by Lieutenant General Syed Aamer Raza, met the Saudi delegation headed by Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs, Khalid Al Biyari.

During the session, both sides reviewed progress on ongoing defense cooperation projects and explored new opportunities for joint ventures, particularly in emerging technologies aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Lieutenant General Raza reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued support for the capacity building of the Royal Saudi Defense Forces. Saudi officials, in turn, commended Pakistan’s commitments, achievements and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, noting its vital contributions to regional peace and stability.

These engagements build on a defense pact signed in September between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, under which an attack on one state would be treated as aggression against the other. The agreement was concluded against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions this year, including India–Pakistan clashes and the Iran–Israel conflict in June.