Riyadh and Islamabad Ink Reciprocal Defense Pact
India, having recently engaged in a brief conflict with Pakistan in May, has indicated its intent to assess the implications of this development.
A formal mutual defense pact has been inked by Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan, deepening their longstanding security ties which span decades.
This agreement follows closely an exceptional joint meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). During this session, member states denounced Israel’s attack last week on Doha, Qatar’s capital, which struck officials from the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Media accounts suggest this incident raised alarms among Gulf states regarding the US’s capacity to ensure their safety.
The defense agreement was formally signed on Wednesday in Riyadh by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“This accord, which demonstrates both nations’ dedication to boosting their security and fostering regional and global peace, seeks to advance defense collaboration between the two states and reinforce collective deterrence against any form of aggression,” read the joint statement from Riyadh and Islamabad.
The agreement stipulates that “any attack against Saudi Arabia or Pakistan shall be deemed an act of aggression against both,” the statement underscored.
India, having recently experienced a four-day military confrontation with Pakistan in May after a terrorist incident targeting tourists in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, announced its intention to “examine the repercussions of this progression for our national security and for regional and global stability.”
On X, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal stated that New Delhi had been cognizant of the security relationship between Riyadh and Islamabad and was aware that a defense agreement between them was under negotiation.
A senior Saudi official informed Reuters that the pact with Pakistan represented “the culmination of years of discussions” and was not “a response to specific countries or specific events.”
He further added that Saudi Arabia’s ties with India are “more robust than they have ever been,” and that they “will continue to grow this relationship and seek to contribute to regional peace whichever way we can.”
The military alliance between Riyadh and Islamabad spans over five decades, with a history of thousands of Saudi officers undergoing training in Pakistan. This defense collaboration persists through various training initiatives and combined military drills.