Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir and General Michael Erik Kurilla, the US Central Command (Centcom), have reiterated the need for enhancing training interactions between Centcom and the Pakistan Army.

Centcom General Kurilla called on COAS Gen Munir at GHQ on Thursday, the military’s media wing said.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations said that matters of shared interests, particularly cooperation in regional security matters came under discussion during the meeting.

Both sides discussed avenues of joint training.

“The visiting dignitary acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan Army’s successes in the fight against terrorism and Pakistan’s continued efforts for brining peace and stability in the region.

Naval forces from Pakistan and the United States completed a four-day bilateral training exercise, ‘Inspired Union 2024,’ in Karachi, Pakistan, on May 2.

Inspired Union focused on maritime interdiction operations, explosive ordinance disposal mine countermeasure tactics, techniques, and procedures, and harbor security, according to a Centcom statement. The exercise created opportunities for improving readiness, enhancing maritime security and stability, and promoting the freedom of navigation in the US 5th Fleet area of operations.

“Exercises like Inspired Union continue to improve our readiness and interoperability in the maritime domain,” said CAPT Robert ‘Paco’ Porter, Commodore of Task Force 52. “Pakistan is an important partner and we are honoured for their hospitality both during this exercise and the lead-up to it. We look forward to future opportunities to work with an important partner like Pakistan.”

A US Coast Guard maritime engagement team, a US Marine Corps fleet anti-terrorism security team, a civil affairs team, and an expeditionary mine countermeasures and diving team, took part in Inspired Union.

As a capstone bilateral exercise, Inspired Union fosters collaboration between Pakistan and the US armed forces, in an effort to uphold the rules-based international order that supports the free flow of commerce in strategically important waters in the region.

The US 5th Fleet’s area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.