ISLAMABAD: A six-member delegation led by Pakistan’s Vice Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami visited Saudi Arabia this week to hold expert-level talks with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s naval forces enjoy cordial relations and regularly participate in bilateral exercises. In September 2023, Pakistani and Saudi naval forces took part in the Naseem Al Bahr exercise near the kingdom’s Al Jubail city to foster interoperability among their navies and special operation forces.
Last week, Pakistan held an international oil spill response exercise in the southern port city of Karachi. Saudi Arabia took part in the exercise among other international observes, which included Tanzania, China and Turkiye.
“Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami along with 6 members delegation visited Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Expert Level Staff Talks between Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces,” the Pakistan Navy said on Monday.
Bilgrami called on Vice Admiral Fahad bin Abdullah Al Ghofaily, the Commander of the RSNF to discuss matters of mutual interest and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, the navy said.
“Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces enjoy extremely close relations and cooperate in number of operational and training matters prominently the regular conduct of major maritime exercise Naseem Al Bahr,” the statement added.