Pakistan Uzbekistan Defence Ties Deepen on Air Chief Visit
Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu held meetings with Uzbekistan’s defence leadership on an official visit to the country on Saturday, with talks focused on Pakistan Uzbekistan defence cooperation, joint military exercises and institutional collaboration.
In a statement posted on X, the Directorate General of Public Relations (Air Force) said the talks with Uzbek Defence Minister Lieutenant General Botir Qudrathodjayev Bahromovich focused on “regional security, existing defence ties and prospects for institutional collaboration”. The Uzbek minister lauded the professionalism, operational prowess and combat capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force.
In a subsequent meeting with the Uzbek deputy defence minister and commander of Air Defence and Air Force, Major General Burkhanov Akhmad Jamolovich, the discussion focused on enhancing bilateral defence cooperation through joint military exercises, structured professional exchanges and capacity building. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing “operational readiness” and collaboration in emerging technologies by drawing on their respective expertise and capabilities. Air Chief Marshal Sidhu highlighted the deep-rooted brotherly ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
A visit ahead of the ECO meeting
The visit comes a day before Pakistan hosts the 30th ECO Council of Ministers meeting in Islamabad on November 15 and 16. Pakistan’s chairmanship of the meeting will focus on regional connectivity, deeper partnerships and collective efforts for sustainable development, and Uzbekistan sits at the table as a fellow member of the Economic Cooperation Organisation. Defence talks on the eve of a regional ministerial underline how the relationship now spans trade, energy and security.
The two countries have been building the partnership through the year. On June 24, Pakistan and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties and advancing a shared vision of regional connectivity, economic cooperation and cultural exchange through concrete initiatives and tangible outcomes. On September 3, Power Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said the two countries had vast potential to expand cooperation in the energy sector, particularly electricity connectivity, renewable energy, hydropower, energy infrastructure and investment.
Both countries work together through the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the ECO. Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik is also representing Pakistan at a SCO dialogue in New Delhi, a sign of how active the regional forums have become for Islamabad this week.
Pakistan Uzbekistan defence ties run alongside trade
Defence is only one strand of the relationship. Pakistan’s kinnow exports to Uzbekistan received the go-ahead this month, opening a new market for Pakistani fruit growers, and the two sides have been pressing for faster approvals and smoother trade routes through the region. The Afghan trade ban has already cost Pakistan $1 billion in exports, which makes the Central Asian markets to the north more valuable for Pakistani exporters.
For the air forces, the practical agenda is joint exercises, professional exchanges and capacity building, with emerging technologies now on the table. A fuller official account of the visit said the Uzbek side wanted to draw on the PAF’s professional expertise, operational experience and trained manpower to improve the readiness of its own air force. No agreements were announced in the DGPR statement, but the language on operational readiness and institutional collaboration points to a structured programme rather than a ceremonial visit.
Frequently asked questions
Who did the air chief meet in Uzbekistan?
Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu met Defence Minister Lt Gen Botir Qudrathodjayev Bahromovich and Maj Gen Burkhanov Akhmad Jamolovich, the deputy defence minister and commander of Air Defence and Air Force.
What did the two sides discuss?
Regional security, existing defence ties, joint military exercises, structured professional exchanges, capacity building and collaboration in emerging technologies.
What did Uzbekistan say about the PAF?
Lt Gen Bahromovich lauded the professionalism, operational prowess and combat capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force.
Why does the visit matter now?
It comes a day before Pakistan hosts the 30th ECO Council of Ministers meeting in Islamabad, with Uzbekistan a fellow ECO member, and follows a year of closer energy and trade ties.
What else links Pakistan and Uzbekistan?
The two countries cooperate through the UN, OIC, SCO and ECO. Pakistan’s kinnow exports to Uzbekistan received the go-ahead this month, and energy cooperation was discussed in September.
