Field Marshal Munir and Turkish military chief deliberate on prevailing regional security landscape

Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Friday deliberated on the prevailing regional and global security landscape with the Turkish military chief.

Pakistan and Turkiye maintain close defense ties. Ankara has been involved in building war corvettes for the Pakistan Navy and upgrading the Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 fighter jets. Turkiye also shares drone technology with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and has proposed participation in their Kaan fifth-generation fighter aircraft program.

state broadcaster PTV News said in a publication on

“In addition to elaborating on issues of mutual interest, the prevailing regional and global security landscape and prospects for strengthening bilateral defense and military cooperation were also discussed.

“The dignitaries expressed satisfaction with the current trajectory of relations between Pakistan and Turkey, while underlining the need to maintain close coordination and enhance defense collaboration,” the statement said.

He added that CDF Munir highlighted the “long-standing brotherly relationship” between Pakistan and Turkiye, which he said was rooted in shared history, mutual trust and strong people-to-people ties.

“He appreciated the support and cooperation provided by the Turkish Armed Forces and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen bilateral military-to-military relations. General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and appreciated the professionalism of the Pakistani Armed Forces. He reaffirmed Turkiye’s determination to deepen defense cooperation, including training, joint exercises and capability development initiatives,” the statement said.

He added that the visit “reflects the long-standing strategic partnership between Pakistan and Turkiye and their shared commitment to regional peace, stability and security.”

The Turkish military chief received a guard of honor from an army contingent upon his arrival.

Read more: Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Agreement: The Beginning of a New Era

The meeting came after Defense Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj confirmed on January 15 that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye had prepared a draft defense agreement after nearly a year of talks, in a sign they may be seeking a bulwark against an outbreak of regional violence in the past two years.

Harraj said Reuters Information about the possible agreement between the three regional powers was separate from a bilateral defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan announced last year. He said a final consensus between the three states was necessary to complete the agreement.

“The Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye trilateral agreement is something that is already in the pipeline,” Harraj said in an interview.

“The draft agreement is already available with us. The draft agreement is already with Saudi Arabia. The draft agreement is already available with Turkiye. And the three countries are deliberating. And this agreement has been there for the last 10 months.”

Bloomberg had previously reported that Turkiye was allegedly seeking to join a strategic mutual defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg had said discussions were at an advanced stage and a deal was likely. The defense pact, signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in Riyadh in September last year, commits both countries to treating any aggression against one as an attack on both.

The report said Turkiye saw the agreement as a means to strengthen security cooperation and deterrence at a time when questions remain about the reliability of the United States and US President Donald Trump’s commitment to NATO, despite Washington’s strong military ties with the three countries.

Also read: Turkiye seeks entry into Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact: Bloomberg

According BloombergTurkiye’s strategic interests increasingly aligned with those of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia across South Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa, making its inclusion in the pact a logical expansion.

Analysts cited in the report highlighted the three countries’ complementary strengths, with Saudi Arabia providing financial resources, Pakistan offering nuclear capability, ballistic missile capability and manpower, and Turkiye bringing military expertise and a developed defense industry.

Read more: A trilateral partnership involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye

The report noted that Turkiye’s possible entry into the pact would underscore a new phase in its relations with Saudi Arabia, after years of tense relations. The two countries are now expanding cooperation in the economic and defense sectors and recently held their first naval meeting in Ankara.