Air chief visits Saudi Arabia, pledges to strengthen defense cooperation

Rawalpindi: Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, visited Saudi Arabia, where it was agreed during meetings with the Saudi defense leadership to further enhance defense cooperation.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), upon his arrival in Saudi Arabia, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu was presented with a guard of honor by the Royal Saudi Air Force. He met with Lieutenant General Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force, and General Fayyad bin Hameed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of the General Staff.

The ISPR spokesperson stated that during these meetings, detailed discussions were held on the regional security situation and future defense collaboration, with emphasis on joint training, operational cooperation, and the exchange of professional expertise.

According to the spokesperson, the Air Chief highlighted the historic and brotherly bilateral relations and reaffirmed the commitment to enhancing military cooperation through international and bilateral exercises. He described the Pakistan–Saudi defense agreement as a symbol of mutual trust and brotherhood, and briefed the Saudi leadership on the transformation of the Pakistan Air Force into a multi-domain force.

The spokesperson further added that during the visit, the Saudi defense leadership showed keen interest in the Pakistan Air Force’s capabilities in space, cyber, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence.

The spokesperson said that the Saudi defense leadership praised the Pakistan Air Force’s professionalism and combat readiness, expressed strong interest in expanding joint training with the PAF, appreciated Pakistan’s positive role in regional peace and stability, and reaffirmed the commitment to further broaden cooperation in the defense and aviation sectors.

On this occasion, the Pakistan–Saudi Arabia defense agreement was described as a symbol of trust and brotherhood.