Saudi-Pakistan Defence Pact: Committed to protect India’s national interests: Govt

New Delhi, Sep 18: In response to media queries about reports on the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, the Government of India on Thursday said that it was committed to protecting India’s national interests.

Official spokesperson Randhir 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.”

National and International media reported that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have officially signed a ‘Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement,’ marking a significant milestone in the longstanding security cooperation between the two countries. The pact, which promises mutual support in the event of external aggression, was signed during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh. The agreement was publicly announced through a joint statement following talks between Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as reported by Reuters.

“This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieve security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression,” the joint statement read. The new pact stipulates that any attack on either country will be regarded as an attack on both, signalling a shift from informal security arrangements to a formalised military framework.

A senior Saudi official, discussing the agreement with Reuters, as reported by TOI, emphasised that the pact is the culmination of “years of discussions” and is not a reaction to any recent conflict or specific nation. “This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means,” the official added, though they declined to confirm whether Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is included under the terms of the agreement.

The timing of the agreement follows a high-level session of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), convened after Israel’s airstrike on Doha on September 9, which targeted senior Hamas figures. However, the Saudi official stressed that the defence pact was not directly related to that incident. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long enjoyed military cooperation, with Islamabad having trained over 8,200 Saudi military personnel since 1967 and conducting numerous joint military exercises.