Editing Pakistan Armed Forces (section)

===NATO states and Russia===
{{Main|NATO–Pakistan relations|Pakistan–United States military relations|Pakistan–Russia relations}}
[[File:Mike Mullen reviews Pakistani troops.jpg|thumb|American [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|Chairman of Joint Chiefs]] Admiral [[Mike Mullen]] reviews Pakistani troops during a ceremony honouring Mullen's arrival in Islamabad in 2008.]]

Throughout its history, Pakistan has had a fluctuating military relationship with the United States.<ref name="sipri.org"/> During times of co-operation, U.S. military funding and training have enhanced the Pakistan Armed Forces; in contrast, severing of U.S. support at critical junctures has led to bitter disillusionment. The Pakistani military, which generally prefers a balance with China or America, is not ready to sever ties with the United States,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khokhar |first=Riaz |title=Pakistan is making a mistake in ignoring the US for China |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/4/10/pakistan-is-making-a-mistake-in-ignoring-the-us-for-china |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref> despite [[2022–2023 Pentagon document leaks|leaked Pentagon intelligence]] suggesting that Pakistani diplomats are negative about ties with it.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan faces more 'difficult choices' after pivot-to-China leak |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Pakistan-faces-more-difficult-choices-after-pivot-to-China-leak |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In support of the United States' [[US Attack on Afghanistan|2001 invasion of Afghanistan]], Pakistan's armed forces received large amounts of military aid, funding, and training. According to [[Ministry of Finance (Pakistan)|Ministry of Finance]] calculations, in the three years prior to the [[11 September attacks]], Pakistan received approximately $9&nbsp;million in American military aid; in the three years after, the amount increased to $4.2&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{Cite news |author1=Nathaniel Heller |author2=Sarah Fort |author3=Marina Walker Guevara |author4=Ben Welsh |title=Pakistan's $4.2 Billion 'Blank Check' for U.S. Military Aid, After 9/11, funding to country soars with little oversight |publisher=[[Center for Public Integrity]] |date=27 March 2007 |url=http://www.publicintegrity.org/icij/default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041027075253/http://www.publicintegrity.org/icij/Default.aspx |archive-date=27 October 2004 |access-date=27 March 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Pakistan has maintained military-to-military relations with the [[Member states of NATO|30 member states]] of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ([[NATO]]).<ref name="NATO Topics">{{cite web|title=NATO's relations with Pakistan|url=http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50071.htm|publisher=NATO Topics|access-date=15 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524060439/http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50071.htm|archive-date=24 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> NATO regards its relations with Pakistan as "partners across the globe."<ref name="NATO Topics"/> With the support of US Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]], Pakistan was designated a "[[major non-NATO ally]]" in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|title=US to designate Pakistan non-NATO ally: Powell|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200403/18/eng20040318_137869.shtml|access-date=15 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212195844/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200403/18/eng20040318_137869.shtml|archive-date=12 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="New York Times, Pakistan">{{cite news|last=Rohde|first=David|title=U.S. Will Celebrate Pakistan as a 'Major Non-NATO Ally'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/19/international/asia/19POWE.html|access-date=15 July 2013|newspaper=New York Times, Pakistan|date=19 March 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224184333/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/19/international/asia/19POWE.html|archive-date=24 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="arms control">{{cite news|author1=Karen Yourish Roston|author2=Delano D'Souza|name-list-style=amp|title=Despite Khan, Military Ties With Pakistan to Grow|url=http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004_04/Pakistan|access-date=15 July 2013|newspaper=arms control|date=April 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103094032/http://armscontrol.org/act/2004_04/Pakistan|archive-date=3 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BBC Pakistan">{{cite news|title=US boosts Pakistan military ties|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3522174.stm|access-date=15 July 2013|publisher=BBC Pakistan|date=18 March 2004 <!-- , 15:18 GMT -->|display-authors=etal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214102807/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3522174.stm|archive-date=14 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> However, after [[Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan (2020–2021)|the United States troops withdraws Afghanistan]] in 2021, U.S. "clearly distanced" itself from Pakistan,<ref>{{cite web |title=US 'clearly distanced' itself from Pakistan, says former military chief Mike Mullen |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1682971/us-clearly-distanced-itself-from-pakistan-says-former-military-chief-mike-mullen |website=DAWN |date=2 April 2022 |access-date=2 April 2022}}</ref> and all U.S. military aid has been canceled.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Akmal |first=Dawi |date=2022-03-16 |title=US-Pakistan Relations Ebb After Afghanistan Withdrawal |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-pakistan-relations-ebb-after-afghanistan-withdrawal/6488429.html |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=VOA |language=en}}</ref>

Since the 2000s, military relations have improved between the Russian armed forces and the Pakistan armed forces.<ref name="Pakistan Today">{{cite news |title=Pakistan, Russia to boost military cooperation|url=http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/08/05/news/national/pakistan-russia-to-boost-military-cooperation/|access-date=18 August 2013|newspaper=Pakistan Today|date=5 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824143652/http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/08/05/news/national/pakistan-russia-to-boost-military-cooperation/|archive-date=24 August 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news|last=Sandeep Dikshit|title=Growing Russia-Pakistan ties a reality that India will have to live with|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/growing-russiapakistan-ties-a-reality-that-india-will-have-to-live-with/article3975260.ece|access-date=18 August 2013|newspaper=The Hindu|date=9 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204020030/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/growing-russiapakistan-ties-a-reality-that-india-will-have-to-live-with/article3975260.ece|archive-date=4 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Russia and Pakistan have held Joint Tactical Exercise Friendship since 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan kicks off joint Exercise Friendship-2024 with Russia |url=https://tass.com/defense/1856049/amp |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=Tass}}</ref>