The pact, formally known as the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, was inked in Riyadh by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the latter’s visit to the kingdom.
The agreement commits both countries to treat “any aggression against either of the two countries” as aggression against both, according to a joint statement.
The deal marks a significant step in the security partnership between the two nations. While defence cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia has existed for decades, the formalisation of this arrangement raises questions about how it could shape South Asia’s strategic environment.
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Responding to media queries, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described New Delhi’s reaction as measured but firm.“We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The government was aware that this development, which formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration,” he said. Jaiswal stressed that India’s priority would remain to assess the consequences of the deal in light of its own national security.
“The government will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability,” he said, adding that India remains committed to ensuring “comprehensive national security in all domains”.
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The timing of the agreement is also notable. It comes just months after India and Pakistan were locked in a brief but tense four-day military confrontation, a reminder of the fragility of peace in the region.
Analysts suggest that any change in Pakistan’s defence alliances could potentially alter the calculus of regional security and diplomatic engagement.
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