Dhaka/Islamabad, August 24 — In a move that underscores growing defensecooperation between the two South Asian neighbors, Bangladesh has announcedplans to send its military technicians to Pakistan for advanced trainingand hands-on experience. The initiative, officials say, is aimed atboosting the technical expertise of Bangladeshi personnel in areas such asaircraft maintenance, defense electronics, and modern military systems.
According to defense sources in Dhaka, the program will allow Bangladeshitechnicians to work closely with Pakistan’s defense industry and armedforces, benefiting from their decades of operational experience. Pakistanhas long offered military training to several countries, but the newarrangement with Bangladesh marks a significant step forward in bilateralmilitary-to-military ties.
The training is expected to cover multiple domains, including aviationengineering, missile system maintenance, and advanced defense technologies.Analysts believe the collaboration could help Bangladesh reduce reliance onWestern defense training programs while diversifying its strategicpartnerships.
Meanwhile, India is closely monitoring the development. New Delhi, whichhas historically maintained sensitive ties with both neighbors, viewsgrowing defense cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh with cautiousinterest. Indian analysts have noted that while the move does notimmediately alter the regional balance of power, it could gradually deepenBangladesh’s defense linkages with Pakistan.
“India will not overlook this kind of cooperation,” said a New Delhi-baseddefense expert. “While Bangladesh has the sovereign right to train itspersonnel wherever it chooses, the optics of strengthening ties withPakistan carry strategic implications.”
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For Bangladesh, however, officials insist the program is purely technicaland aimed at improving the skills of its military workforce rather thanaltering regional alignments. Islamabad, for its part, has welcomed theinitiative as a reflection of “brotherly relations” and a new chapter inPakistan-Bangladesh defense cooperation.
As the first group of Bangladeshi technicians prepares to begin training inPakistan later this year, regional observers will be watching carefully tosee whether the partnership evolves into a long-term strategic arrangement— one that could reshape South Asia’s delicate military dynamics.