Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a formal mutual defense pact on Wednesday, significantly strengthening a decades-long security partnership as Gulf Arab states grow increasingly wary of U.S. security guarantees.
The landmark agreement comes amid heightened Middle East tensions, just days after Israel launched an attack on Qatar that rattled Gulf capitals and deepened doubts about Washington’s willingness to shield its traditional allies.
“This agreement is a culmination of years of discussions. This is not a response to specific countries or specific events but an institutionalization of longstanding and deep cooperation between our two countries,” a senior Saudi official told Reuters when asked about its timing.
Israel’s attempt to kill political leaders of Hamas with airstrikes on Doha—while they were discussing a ceasefire proposal that Qatar is helping to mediate—infuriated Arab countries and amplified fears of regional instability.
The pact marks a strategic pivot that could reshape the security calculus of the Gulf. Longtime U.S. allies, Gulf monarchies have recently sought to stabilize ties with both Iran and Israel to contain their own security concerns. But the Gaza war has upended the regional balance, with Qatar suffering direct strikes twice in a year—first from Iran, and now from Israel.
The Saudi-Pakistan deal comes just months after Pakistan fought a brief military conflict with rival India in May. India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said in a post on social media platform X on Thursday that New Delhi was aware of the agreement and would “study its implications for India’s security and for regional stability.”
The senior Saudi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the need to balance Riyadh’s ties with Islamabad’s rival, India, which is also a nuclear power. “Our relationship with India is more robust than it has ever been. We will continue to grow this relationship and seek to contribute to regional peace whichever way we can.”
Asked whether Pakistan would be obliged to provide Saudi Arabia with a nuclear umbrella under the pact, the official said, “This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means.”
Pakistani state television showed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, embracing after signing the agreement. Also present was Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
“This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieving security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” a statement from the Pakistani prime minister’s office said.
