By Leo Nirosha Darshan
“India is closely observing the bilateral strategic defense pact signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. A spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated, “We have received information about a strategic mutual defense agreement being signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. We were aware that this was a step to formalize a long-standing arrangement between the two countries. However, India will thoroughly examine the implications of this agreement on its national security, as well as on regional and global stability.”
The strategic mutual defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and nuclear-powered Pakistan has sent ripples across the international political landscape. This pact formalizes a decades-old security partnership, significantly bolstering the two countries’ roles in regional and global security. The timing of the agreement, signed after an Israeli attack in Doha, Qatar, further emphasizes its importance.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, September 17, the Saudi government announced that the pact aims to “enhance security cooperation between the two countries” and “strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.” A key provision of the agreement is that “any attack against one country will be considered an attack against both.”
This pact is built upon the “historic partnership” and “shared strategic interests” between the two nations. The agreement was a culmination of extensive discussions between Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during their meeting in Riyadh.
A senior Saudi official told Reuters that the security pact is not a response to any specific country or incident but rather the culmination of years of negotiations. This long-term, comprehensive security agreement is said to include all military means and implicitly mentions the potential use of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons if needed.
The signing of the agreement after Israel’s September 9 attack in Doha, which targeted Hamas political leaders, has drawn considerable attention. This attack, widely condemned by Arab and Islamic nations, raised questions about the reliability of U.S. security guarantees for Middle Eastern countries. This may have motivated Saudi Arabia to seek new partners for its security.
While India has not directly condemned the agreement, its declaration to closely monitor the pact’s implications is a diplomatic maneuver. The agreement offers a new defense shield for Pakistan, potentially complicating India’s military actions. The pact suggests that any Indian aggression against Pakistan could be viewed as an attack on Saudi Arabia, making military operations more difficult.
This could particularly complicate India’s actions against Pakistan-backed terrorism. However, when Pakistan supports a terrorist organization, it also indirectly affects Saudi Arabia’s security. The changing political landscape in the Middle East often overlooks such challenges.
Despite India’s efforts to strengthen bilateral ties with Middle Eastern countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the new pact strengthens Saudi Arabia’s relationship with Pakistan, posing a challenge to India’s regional diplomacy. Furthermore, given India’s strengthening security and intelligence cooperation with Israel, the Saudi-Pakistan pact raises the possibility of an anti-Israel Islamic alliance. This necessitates a more cautious approach from India regarding its relationship with Israel.
The Reuters report, quoting the senior Saudi official, stated that the pact is not directed against India and that relations with India remain as strong as ever. This position demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s desire to maintain good relations with both India and Pakistan.
India is Saudi Arabia’s fifth-largest trading partner, and a significant portion of India’s crude oil (around 14%) is imported from Saudi Arabia. Analysts believe that this robust economic relationship will mitigate the impact of the defense pact with Pakistan.
While the agreement may lead to a new alliance, all nations in the region want to protect their diplomatic and economic interests. Therefore, the true impact of this pact will depend on future political and security developments in the Middle East and South Asia.
The military and trade relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been deeply rooted for decades. Since 1967, Pakistan has trained over 8,200 Saudi armed forces personnel, and the two countries have conducted numerous joint military exercises. During the 1990-1991 Gulf War, Pakistan deployed over 11,000 troops to Saudi Arabia at its request.
This agreement is expected to create a new geopolitical power and lead to significant changes in West and South Asia. While it raises concerns about nuclear security, it elevates the partnership between the two nations to a new level, posing challenges to the foreign policies of countries like Israel, India, and the United States.
Earlier this year, Israel conducted a 12-day war against Iran, targeting nuclear sites, and civilian and military leaders. Just three months after an attack on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, Israel launched an attack on a residential area in Doha, which houses embassies, shopping malls, and schools. At least five Hamas members were killed in this attack.
The Doha attack led to an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic nations, where the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—announced the implementation of a joint security mechanism. The Pakistan-Saudi defense pact comes against this backdrop.
This new defense agreement demonstrates that Saudi Arabia still values its relationship with Pakistan. It also shows that despite India’s efforts to isolate Pakistan, Islamabad is not without allies in the region.
Asian News Post author profile,
Leo Nirosha Darshan is a Sri Lanka–based journalist and editor with a passion for uncovering the stories behind global conflicts, defence strategies, and shifting geopolitics. Known for his war and crisis reporting, he offers readers clear insights into some of the world’s most pressing issues. As a contributing author at Asian News Post, Leo combines frontline experience with thoughtful analysis to bring complex events closer to his audience.