RAWALPINDI: The National Guard Commander of Bahrain reached out to the field marshal, Asim Munir. In addition, he also met separately with the naval and air force commanders of Pakistan. These discussions included talks about drones, artificial intelligence, sea security, and other advanced defense systems in view of the ongoing war between the US and Iran.
Gen Shaikh Mohammad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Commander of the National Guard of Bahrain, arrived at GHQ Rawalpindi on Tuesday to conduct a comprehensive meeting on the military level that lasted for the whole day and involved the discussion at three different service headquarters. Pakistan-Bahrain military cooperation meetings held in June 2026 started with a visit of the commander to the Chief of the Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, in which various issues were discussed regarding mutual interests and security situation in the region along with possibilities of military cooperation between the two nations.
Naval Headquarters Maritime security and Pakistan’s presence in the Gulf region
In the context of a meeting with Pakistan’s Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf held at Naval Headquarters, the commander from Bahrain highlighted bilateral defence cooperation and regional security. As per the ISPR’s announcement, “The Commander also complimented the constructive role being played by the Pakistan Navy in achieving maritime security cooperation.” This is a strong message coming from the Commander of the Bahrain National Guard considering the current tensions in the Strait of Hormuz because of the US and Iran standoff. The commendation comes with great significance as Bahrain has acknowledged the presence of Pakistan’s navy in the Gulf as a stabilizing influence.
It was evident that Air Headquarters was the most technically-oriented out of the three. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu brought up the modernization program of Pakistan Air Force that included improvements in capabilities, infrastructure, indigenization initiatives, and training systems. On his part, the interests of the commander from Bahrain were associated with new defense technology including drones, artificial intelligence, autonomous technology, advanced sensors, digital technology, and the complexities of integrated air defense systems. The discussions at Air Headquarters in regards to military cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain can be attributed to the fact that the security situation in the Gulf region is such that adversaries who are equipped with drones pose a threat to the air defenses and that AI is essential in overcoming that threat.
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Regional Environment Role of Pakistan as Mediator during US and Iran Conflict
The visit of the delegation from Bahrain was not the only high-profile visit that the GHQ witnessed on Tuesday. The Chief of Staff of the Lebanese army, General Rodolphe Haykal visited CDF Munir as well to discuss the changing regional security situation and exchanged ideas on cooperation and professional contacts between the military establishments of both the countries. Visiting delegations from two countries like Bahrain and Lebanon, which are part of the US-Iran conflict at the regional level, further strengthens the role of Pakistan in regional security matters.
Background for the Defence Engagement Between Pakistan and Bahrain
This can be viewed against the backdrop of the tripartite talk that took place yesterday in the process of reinforcing the already existing defence relationships between Pakistan and Bahrain. The present discussion about the Pakistan Bahrain military cooperation is in connection with the above meetings.
