India to Assess Saudi-Pakistan Defence Pact for Security Implications
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 18th Sept: India on Thursday issued a cautious response to the newly signed Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, stressing that it will closely study the pact’s implications for national security and regional stability.
In an official statement, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that New Delhi was aware of discussions leading up to the agreement, which he described as the formalisation of a “long-standing arrangement” between Riyadh and Islamabad.
“We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The Government was aware that this development, which formalizes 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,” Jaiswal said.
The remarks came just hours after Saudi Arabia and Pakistan inked the agreement in Riyadh during the state visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was received by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
The deal pledges that any aggression against either nation will be treated as an attack on both, effectively binding the two countries in a collective defence framework.
A joint statement highlighted the historic partnership of nearly eight decades between the Kingdom and Pakistan, underpinned by “brotherhood, Islamic solidarity, shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation.”
The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement is aimed at strengthening joint deterrence and enhancing defence cooperation, while also projecting stability and security in the wider region.
India’s measured response reflects its concern about the evolving regional security environment. While New Delhi has traditionally enjoyed strong diplomatic and economic ties with Riyadh, Pakistan’s deeper military cooperation with Saudi Arabia adds a new dimension to South Asia’s geopolitical equations.
Security experts in New Delhi believe that while the agreement is not entirely unexpected, its timing and scope merit careful evaluation. For India, the focus remains on safeguarding its own national interests while balancing relations with both Gulf nations and its South Asian neighbor.
As the region witnesses new alignments, India’s stance underscores vigilance and strategic calculation, ensuring that its security and diplomatic priorities remain intact amid shifting geopolitical currents.
