Kuala Lumpur: Pakistani Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited Malaysia and held meetings with top naval and military officials. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan’s military media wing, confirmed the visit, stating that Admiral Ashraf was welcomed at the Royal Malaysian Navy headquarters by Admiral Tan Sri Zulkifli bin Zulkifli and the discussions focussed on regional maritime security and strengthening defense cooperation.
The Pakistani naval chief’s visit coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day trip to Malaysia. During his visit, Modi met his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim and emphasised enhancing bilateral defense and economic ties. Both nations agreed to expand cooperation in defense, security, semiconductors and trade.
Analysts say that since the setback Pakistan’s armed forces faced during India’s Operation Sindoor in May last year, Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force have accelerated efforts to strengthen partnerships with regional and international counterparts. Pakistani military officials have undertaken multiple visits in recent months, and Admiral Ashraf’s Malaysia trip fits within this broader push for deeper collaboration.
On the defense front, the Pakistani Navy stated that the visit reaffirmed the commitment to the Pakistan-Malaysia naval partnership and future maritime cooperation. Officials discussed enhancing professional ties, expanding naval engagement and cooperation in joint exercises, training and intelligence sharing. Both sides highlighted the importance of working together on maritime challenges, including piracy, terrorism and securing sea lanes.
Ashraf also reiterated Pakistan Navy’s “commitment to promoting peace and stability” in the Indian Ocean region and emphasised his country’s interest in deepening defense ties with Malaysia. Diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kuala Lumpur, established in 1957, have historically been close, with both countries strengthening cooperation in the defense sector over recent years.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
