KARACHI: Turkish and Pakistani militaries took part in a weeklong joint exercise in Pakistan’s southern port city Karachi.
According to Turkish Defense Ministry, “heroes of friendly and brotherly countries are together for ‘Crescent and Star’! ‘Crescent and Star-2022 Exercise’ was held with the participation of underwater attack (SAT) teams from the Turkish Naval Forces and Iqbal Teams from the Pakistan Navy.”
The exercise, held on Dec. 19-25, aimed to increase the interoperability between the naval forces of both countries, developing cooperation in the military field.
Last year, the two countries held their first-ever joint exercises with the Azerbaijani military in Baku.
Relations between Türkiye and Pakistan have reached new heights in recent years thanks to the cooperation between their defense industries.
In July 2018, Pakistan’s navy signed a contract with Turkish state-owned defense contractor ASFAT for the acquisition of four Turkish-built MILGEM corvettes. According to the plan, two corvettes will be built in Türkiye, and the following two will be built in Pakistan. The deal also covers the transfer of technology between both countries.
In October 2019, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and then-Pakistan Navy Chief Adm. Zafar Mahmood Abbasi cut the first metal plate of the first MILGEM Ada class corvette during a ceremony in Istanbul.
Ankara and Islamabad have a well-established relationship spanning decades. On top of the nations’ political and economic interactions, many Turkish humanitarian agencies, including the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), are active in the country, providing assistance to those in need. During Erdoğan’s visit to Pakistan in February 2020, the two countries signed a series of memorandums of understanding (MoU) aimed at boosting bilateral trade, economic engagement, communication and cultural ties.
The trade volume between Pakistan and Türkiye has risen from around $600 million (TL 4.5 billion) to $800 million over the last five years.
