Air Chief Meets Senior Saudi Military Leadership to Deepen Defence Cooperation

Islamabad: Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), called on HRH Lieutenant General Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF), and General Fayyadh bin Hameed Al-Rowaily, Chief of the General Staff of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during his official visit to the Kingdom. Upon arrival, the Air Chief was accorded a historic welcome, including a Guard of Honour presented by a smartly turned-out contingent of the Royal Saudi Air Force.
During the meetings, both sides held comprehensive discussions on bilateral defence cooperation, regional security dynamics and avenues for future collaboration. Expressing satisfaction with the existing level of engagement, the leadership agreed to further strengthen cooperation through enhanced training, operational collaboration and the exchange of professional expertise. The Pakistan–Saudi Arabia Defence Agreement was highlighted as a strong manifestation of mutual trust, strategic convergence and enduring brotherly ties, with a shared resolve to explore new domains of defence cooperation.
The Air Chief underscored the historic, time-tested and fraternal relationship between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, rooted in shared religious values, mutual respect and strategic alignment. He reaffirmed PAF’s firm commitment to further strengthening military-to-military ties through bilateral and multilateral exercises. Highlighting the transformation of the Pakistan Air Force in recent years, he emphasized its evolution into a robust Multi-Domain Force, integrating space, electronic warfare, cyber, niche technologies and artificial intelligence. He noted that these enhanced capabilities were decisively demonstrated during the May 25 conflict, reflecting PAF’s operational excellence, adaptability and combat effectiveness.
The Saudi defence leadership lauded the deep bond of fraternity between the two brotherly nations and appreciated the close and enduring cooperation between their Air Forces. They commended the professionalism, operational proficiency and combat readiness of the Pakistan Air Force, while acknowledging its growing indigenous capabilities in the aviation and aerospace sectors. Recognizing the increasing importance of Multi-Domain Operations in modern warfare, the Saudi leadership expressed keen interest in benefiting from PAF’s rich operational experience through expanded joint training and operational collaboration. They also appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace, stability and security, and conveyed interest in broadening cooperation across multiple areas of mutual interest.
The visit of the Chief of the Air Staff to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia underscores the depth and vitality of the enduring strategic partnership between the two countries, and reaffirms their shared commitment to further consolidating defence and aviation cooperation.