The Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Saif (FFG-253) arrived at Chattogram Port on 8 November 2025 for a four-day goodwill visit, marking one of the most visible displays yet of a fast-deepening defence relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The arrival — welcomed by Chattogram naval officials — is being described by military and diplomatic sources on both sides as a concrete step in rebuilding ties that had been largely chilled for over a decade. From diplomatic thaw to military engagement
Since early 2025, Islamabad and Dhaka have steadily restored formal channels of dialogue. The two sides have held Foreign Office-level talks and a series of high-level military exchanges, culminating in recent visits by Pakistan’s top uniformed leadership and bilateral meetings in October 2025 where the armies and navies discussed more regular exchanges, training, and joint activities. Pakistani official statements and Bangladeshi press reports say both countries agreed to sustain regular visits at multiple ranks to broaden defence cooperation.
Analysts note the Chattogram visit follows an upward trend of engagement: port calls, mutual invitations to defence delegations, and staff-level meetings to explore training, disaster response, maritime security and counter-terrorism cooperation. Regional commentators frame this as a pragmatic realignment driven by mutual economic and security interests rather than an ideological shift. What PNS Saif’s visit represents
PNS Saif is a Zulfiquar-class guided-missile frigate, a modern surface combatant in Pakistan’s fleet that has operated on overseas deployments in recent months. Naval goodwill visits are traditionally used to open channels for practical cooperation — shipboard exchanges, professional talks, port ceremonies and coordinated humanitarian drills — and they send a political signal of normalisation at the service-to-service level. The Pakistan Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described the trip as aimed at “strengthening friendly bilateral relations.”
Officials in Dhaka have emphasised that such visits are precisely the sort of practical confidence-building measures that help both countries manage maritime security challenges — from search-and-rescue to counter-smuggling — in the Bay of Bengal and beyond. The trajectory so far — concrete steps and agenda items
Over the last year the Pakistan-Bangladesh defence agenda has included:
Regular military and naval exchanges. Multiple delegations and staff talks have been reported in 2025 as both sides map out a schedule of reciprocal visits and training.
Emphasis on training and interoperability. Both militaries have signalled interest in officer training exchanges, joint workshops on counter-terrorism and information-sharing on maritime threats.
Naval diplomacy and port calls. Visits such as the PNS Saif goodwill stop aim to create opportunities for ship-to-ship cooperation, officer talks and public diplomacy.
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Economic and trade linkages discussed alongside defence. Recent meetings interwove trade and investment items with defence collaboration, indicating a broader bilateral agenda beyond purely military ties. Why both capitals are engaging now
Several drivers underpin the renewed engagement: a desire to broaden export and trade ties; the search for diversified defence-industry partners and training opportunities; and both capitals’ interest in securing maritime lines, fisheries and trade routes in a shifting regional security environment. Observers also note that thawing ties serve domestic political goals in each country — enabling tangible cooperation while avoiding headline-grabbing strategic commitments. What to watch nextFollow-on exercises and training exchanges. If the goodwill visit leads to concrete joint drills or formalised officer training programs, the relationship will move from symbolic to operational. Institutional agreements or MoUs. The appearance of memoranda covering defence cooperation, logistics support or technology sharing would mark a deeper institutionalisation. Broader diplomatic follow-through. Trade delegations, infrastructure talks and cultural exchanges will indicate whether security ties are being matched by economic normalization. Regional implications and risks
The Pakistan-Bangladesh thaw is likely to be read by regional capitals through pragmatic eyes: enhanced bilateral ties could improve maritime coordination in the Bay of Bengal, but sudden defence closeness also invites scrutiny from neighbours who watch balance-of-power shifts carefully. Both Islamabad and Dhaka appear to be calibrating engagement — expanding cooperation while avoiding entanglements that could provoke wider tensions. Analysts caution, however, that history and domestic politics mean progress will be incremental and reversible. ——————————
PNS Saif’s call at Chattogram is a visible milestone in a year that has already seen renewed dialogue and defence-to-defence outreach between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Whether this becomes a durable platform for joint maritime security, training and logistics will depend on follow-up exercises, institutional agreements and parallel growth in diplomatic and economic ties.
Sources: bdnews24, The Business Standard (TBS), Deccan Chronicle, Dawn, Radio Pakistan, Arab News, ISPR releases and regional analysis.
By: Qaiser Bashir Makhdoom
Writer is former DIG Police GB and Director FIA