Pakistan Naval Chief and Turkish Military Agree to Strengthen Bilateral Military Cooperation

Pakistan Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf met with Turkish Deputy Chief of General Staff General Levent ERGÜN on April 7, 2026, with both sides agreeing to further deepen their already substantial military cooperation. The engagement reflects Pakistan's post-Sindoor effort to consolidate defense partnerships with Muslim-majority allies, particularly Turkey — a consistent supporter of Pakistan's Kashmir position at the OIC and in bilateral forums. Turkey has supplied Pakistan with Bayraktar TB2 drones that Pakistan has integrated into its armed forces, and the two countries maintain a robust defense-industrial relationship. India views the deepening Pakistan-Turkey military alignment as part of a broader pattern also involving China and, to some degree, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. The meeting came amid Pakistan's rising diplomatic profile following its facilitation of US-Iran communications, further elevating Islamabad's international standing at a moment when India's relationship with the Trump administration is viewed as strained.