Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both. The landmark accord marks a further consolidation of the two countries’ long-standing and multifaceted relationship rooted in strategic military cooperation, mutual economic interests, and shared Islamic heritage.
These ties have encompassed security cooperation, diplomatic ties, economic assistance and energy supplies, with Riyadh being a major source of financial aid and oil for Islamabad. The roots of this relationship run deep, marked by decades of cooperation that has seen Pakistani troops stationed on Saudi soil, and Riyadh providing Pakistan with economic lifelines in times of crisis.
As officially explained, this agreement reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieve peace in the region and the world. It also aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. To quote the official statement, the agreement has been signed on the basis of the “historic partnership extending for nearly eight decades … based on the bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity, … shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation”, between Islamabad and Riyadh. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the agreement with Saudi Arabia reflects the “shared commitment” of both nations to strengthen security and promote regional peace, while also pledging to “strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression”.
Apart from defence, the economic dimension of the agreement is self-evident. Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan’s biggest investors and donors. A greater flow of Saudi investment in energy, infrastructure and industry can now be expected, which will go a long way to stabilise Pakistan’s finances and economic growth. The internal dimensions of the agreement carry their own importance. For Pakistan, the pact provides much needed political capital at home, showing that it is at the pivot of the evolving security paradigm of the Muslim world. For Saudi Arabia, it is a signal to the region as well as its own people that the kingdom is alert to new threats to its security and ready to take proactive steps for this purpose rather than relying solely on the US.
According to close observers of the Middle East scene, it is a landmark development in the decades-old alliance between the two nations. The timing of the deal is significant. The region has been roiled by two years of naked Israeli aggression climaxing in last week’s Israeli attack on Doha, the capital of Qatar, which borders Saudi Arabia. It also follows simmering tensions between India and Pakistan, after a short-lived conflict in May this year.
Pakistan harbours no aggressive designs, and its strategic alliance with any power, including a major power like Saudi Arabia, is in the interest of peace and stability in its neighbourhood. The last few months have witnessed some disturbing events in the region. First, India launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan which brought two nuclear armed nations to the verge of a nuclear confrontation. On the other hand, one after another Israel bombed six countries in the Middle East in flagrant violation of international laws. All this has happened while the United States, the supposed guarantor of security in the region, has stood by silently.
Seen from this perspective, the agreement represents a major shift in regional and global geopolitics. In the developing scenario, Pakistan occupies the centre stage on the geopolitical map of the region. It is now seen as a balancing and stabilizing force in a region rife with both seen and unforeseen dangers. Needless to say, Tel Aviv’s grand design of creating Greater Israel is the driving force behind its aggressive expansionism in the neighbouring territories. The attack on Qatar proved beyond any doubt that it is a rogue state for which international laws guaranteeing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations have no meaning.
It is in the background of these developments that we have to see the true relevance of the Pak-Saudi defence deal. Saudi Arabia’s disillusionment began with the US invasion of Iraq. It was also unhappy with the United States for not supporting Saudi interests in Yemen and Syria. A little later, following US-sponsored Middle Eastern security, Saudi Arabia considered having better ties with Israel. In the meantime, the Trump Administration also pushed the Abraham Accords, which entailed closer military and intelligence coordination between the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel, and later Morocco and Sudan. But there was a change in perspective when Israel attacked Iran in June this year. The bombing of Qatar was the last straw.
In the prevailing circumstances, the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, which has the support of the United States, is what now drives the changing security perspective of countries in the Middle East. Seen from this angle, the Pak-Saudi defence deal could lead to a similar bilateral defence arrangement with the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and other Gulf states. It can also serve as the cornerstone of a wider regional security framework ensuring collective guarantees for all.
What are the implications of the Pak-Saudi defence deal for India? Will New Delhi scale down its intransigent tone and moderate its aggressive rhetoric against Pakistan? The Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia totals around 3 million people who send billions of dollars in remittances to the mother country. India also enjoys strong economic and trade ties with Riyadh. Will these considerations deter it from pursuing its aggressive designs against Pakistan? It will be interesting to watch how countries in the neighbourhood and beyond react to the Pak-Saudi defence deal in the coming days.