ISLAMABAD: Senior air force officials of Pakistan and Turkiye on Wednesday agreed to enhance cooperation in joint training, mutual exercises and multi-domain operations, the Pakistani military media’s wing said in a statement.

The statement was issued after a meeting between Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu, commander of the Turkish Air Force, and Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhi. Kadıoğlu was leading a Turkish delegation during a visit to the Air Headquarters in Islamabad to discuss the regional security environment and progress in ongoing defense collaboration, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military media’s wing, said.

“Both commanders reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation across multiple spheres, with particular emphasis on joint training, mutual exercises and multi domain operations,” the ISPR said.

Kadıoğlu commended the Pakistan Air Force for its “outstanding operational performance” during Pakistan’s military conflict with India in May, praising its state of operational readiness, the ISPR said.

“The Turkish Air Force leadership also expressed its earnest desire in studying the operational lessons derived from the military standoff between Pakistan and India, with the aim to further strengthening its own doctrine and enhancing overall preparedness,” the military’s media wing said.

Pakistan said it downed six Indian fighter jets after India attacked several locations in the country with missiles in May. Indian officials have accepted the country lost fighter jets during the standoff but reject Islamabad’s claims that six were shot down.

Turkiye, along with China and Azerbaijan, publicly supported Pakistan during its conflict with India. Islamabad and Ankara have grown closer in recent months, stressing the need to increase trade, defense and economic cooperation.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler arrived in Pakistan in July for high-level discussions with political and military leaders.

The visit was described by Pakistan’s foreign office as a sign of “deepening strategic ties” with Ankara. It said the visit included consultations on regional stability, trade expansion, and defense modernization.