Riyadh-Islamabad Defence Pact: Expect Saudi partnership to respect mutual interests, sensitivities: MEA

New Delhi, Sep 19: New Delhi said on Friday that its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia has deepened in recent years and expressed confidence that it would continue to respect “mutual interests and sensitivities,” amid reports of Riyadh signing a defence pact with Pakistan.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, replying to a media query, stated: “India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership that has deepened considerably in the last few years. We expect that our strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities.”

Earlier, reacting to reports of the Saudi-Pakistan defence agreement, Jaiswal said: “We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defense 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. We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability. The Government remains committed to protecting India’s national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains.”

The pact, announced during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh, pledges mutual support in the event of external aggression and formalises decades of military cooperation between the two countries. A joint statement said it seeks to “strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression” and build deeper defence collaboration. Saudi officials described the agreement as the outcome of years of discussions, not a response to any recent conflict, while highlighting its comprehensive scope across military domains. Pakistan has trained thousands of Saudi military personnel since 1967 and regularly conducts joint exercises with the kingdom.