Saudi Arabia Pakistan Pact 2025  Introduction

• Recently, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA), a landmark pact that elevates their long-standing security partnership into a formal defence alliance. 
• The agreement seeks to institutionalize military cooperation and enhance joint deterrence amid growing regional instability in West Asia and South Asia.

What are Reasons Behind the Saudi–Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA)? 

• Rising Regional Instability: The ongoing war in Gaza and escalating Houthi attacks on both Saudi Arabia and Israel have created heightened vulnerability across West Asia. For Riyadh, these developments underline the urgency of reinforcing defence ties and building a credible deterrent framework against non-state actors and asymmetric threats in its immediate neighborhood.

• Intensified Saudi–Iran Rivalry: The agreement also carries a strong geopolitical signalling dimension. By signing the SMDA, Saudi Arabia aims to deter Iran and its network of proxies who have long challenged Riyadh’s security. The pact sends a message that Pakistan’s military expertise and nuclear capabilities are now formally aligned with Saudi security interests, thereby counterbalancing Tehran’s influence in the region.

• Declining Reliance on the United States: In recent years, Gulf states have begun to question Washington’s credibility as a reliable security guarantor. This skepticism intensified after a recent Israeli strike in Qatar targeting Hamas leaders, where the United States’ muted response was perceived as a sign of weakening American commitment to regional security. This erosion of trust has compelled Saudi Arabia to seek alternative security partners, such as Pakistan, to fill the strategic void.

Core Provisions of the SMDA

• Mutual Defence Clause: At the heart of the agreement lies a collective defence provision, whereby an attack on either Saudi Arabia or Pakistan will be considered an attack on both nations. This clause establishes a strong deterrent posture against external aggression.  It is similar to NATO’s Article 5, as it considers an attack on one to be an attack on both. 

• Access to Pakistan’s Nuclear Umbrella: Pakistan’s Defence Minister clarified that Islamabad’s nuclear capabilities would be made available to Riyadh under the pact, if required. This provision strengthens Saudi Arabia’s strategic security calculus against regional adversaries.

• Comprehensive Military Cooperation: Although detailed specifics remain undisclosed, the SMDA covers “all military means”, including:

• • • Defence industry collaboration for joint production and technology sharing.
    • Intelligence exchange for enhanced situational awareness.
    • Military training and personnel development through joint exercises and advisory missions.
    • Technology transfer to modernize Saudi Arabia’s defence capabilities.

• Formalisation of Historical Ties: The SMDA consolidates a relationship that spans decades:

• • • In the late 1960s, Pakistani troops were deployed in Saudi Arabia to address security concerns during Egypt’s involvement in Yemen.
    • In 1979, following the Grand Mosque seizure in Mecca, Pakistan’s special forces assisted Saudi troops in regaining control.
    • The 1982 Bilateral Security Cooperation Agreement institutionalized joint training, advisory roles, and regular Pakistani deployments in Saudi Arabia.
    • Saudi Arabia became a major buyer of Pakistani arms, while Pakistani pilots and trainers supported the Saudi Air Force.

• Geopolitical Significance: The agreement is widely interpreted as a response to regional tensions, including the Iran-Saudi rivalry, evolving US engagement in West Asia, and shifting security equations in the Gulf.

• It positions Pakistan as a strategic guarantor for Saudi Arabia’s defence, while Riyadh provides Islamabad with economic and energy support.

• By formalizing access to nuclear deterrence, the pact reshapes security dynamics in the region, raising questions about non-proliferation regimes and strategic balance.

Gains in Saudi–Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA)

• Saudi Arabia’s Motivations: 

• Securing Military Depth: By entering into a defence pact with Pakistan — the only nuclear-armed Muslim-majority nation — Saudi Arabia strengthens its strategic defence posture against regional adversaries, particularly Iran. This access to Pakistan’s military expertise and deterrent capabilities provides Riyadh with added security reassurance.

• Diversifying Security Partnerships: The SMDA reflects Riyadh’s attempt to reduce over-dependence on Western powers, especially the United States, whose reliability has come under increasing scrutiny. By broadening its defence portfolio, Saudi Arabia ensures a more autonomous and diversified security architecture.

• Enhanced Deterrence Strategy: The pact serves as a psychological and strategic deterrent, signaling to Iran and other regional rivals that Saudi Arabia can leverage Pakistan’s advanced military and nuclear capabilities if necessary. This strengthens Riyadh’s negotiating position within the broader West Asian power balance.

• Pakistan’s Motivations:

• Securing Economic Assistance: For Pakistan, the pact translates into assured Saudi investments and financial aid at a time when its economy faces severe stress. Strengthened economic ties provide Islamabad with a critical lifeline for debt management and fiscal stability.

• Bolstering Geopolitical Standing: By formalizing its role as a pan-Islamic security guarantor, Pakistan elevates its regional and global diplomatic profile. The agreement reinforces its image as a reliable defence partner in the Muslim world, thereby enhancing its soft power.

• Access to Military Hardware: Some analysts suggest the deal could indirectly enable Pakistan to acquire advanced U.S. military equipment, funded by Saudi Arabia. This would enhance Islamabad’s defence modernization program without directly straining its fragile economy.

Implications of the Saudi–Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA)

• Regional Implications:

• Shift in Regional Power Dynamics: The agreement integrates South Asian and Gulf security frameworks, making Pakistan a formal security actor in the Middle East. This new alignment reshapes regional equations, especially in the context of Saudi–Iran rivalry and the declining U.S. role as a guarantor of Gulf security.

• Risk of Entanglement in Conflicts: Both states face strategic risks. Pakistan could be pulled into West Asian crises involving Saudi Arabia (such as conflicts with Iran or Yemen), while Saudi Arabia might get entangled in South Asian disputes, including Pakistan’s long-standing tensions with India.

• Implications for India: 

• Potential for a More Assertive Pakistan: With Riyadh’s formal backing, Islamabad may adopt a harder diplomatic and strategic stance on contentious issues like Kashmir, cross-border terrorism, and water-sharing disputes. This could complicate India’s regional diplomacy.

• Complications for India’s Deterrence Strategy: Although India retains superior conventional and nuclear capabilities, the collective defence clause of the SMDA could allow Pakistan to frame any punitive Indian military action as aggression against both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, complicating India’s doctrine of deterrence.

• Saudi Funding and Pakistani Military Modernization: Saudi Arabia’s financial muscle could fuel Pakistan’s defence modernization such as the recent Operation Sindoor, whether through direct funding, concessional oil, or technology transfers. While Riyadh may not directly aid Islamabad in a war with India, a better-equipped Pakistan still poses strategic challenges for New Delhi.

• Indirect Strategic Leverage for China: China stands to gain from the pact, given its close partnerships with both Islamabad and Riyadh. The agreement could weaken U.S. influence in the Gulf and create new avenues for Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), amplifying India’s strategic concerns.

• Uncertainty for IMEC Project: The India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which passes through Saudi Arabia and was seen as a counterweight to China’s BRI, now faces uncertainty. Riyadh’s closer security alignment with Pakistan might dilute Saudi commitment to India-led initiatives.

• Risk of Diplomatic Isolation in the Gulf: Some critics frame the SMDA as a diplomatic setback for India, arguing that New Delhi’s growing alignment with Israel and the United States may have inadvertently reduced its traditional goodwill in the Gulf. This could weaken India’s leverage in a region crucial for its energy security, diaspora, and trade flows.

Way Forward 

• Strengthening Strategic Partnerships: India must deepen defence and security cooperation with trusted global partners such as the United States, Israel, and France, while continuing its robust defence ties with Russia. This diversified network of alliances will balance any strategic disadvantages arising from the SMDA and help India hedge against a potential security realignment in the Gulf.

• Diversifying Energy Imports: With Saudi Arabia still a key supplier of crude oil, India faces vulnerabilities in energy security. To reduce this dependence, New Delhi should:

• • • Expand energy sourcing from alternative suppliers like the UAE, Iraq, Russia, and the United States.
    • Invest in renewable energy partnerships and strengthen initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
    • Accelerate efforts in strategic petroleum reserves and green hydrogen collaborations to gain long-term energy leverage.

• Intensifying Gulf Engagement: India must not allow the Saudi–Pakistan pact to tilt Gulf geopolitics against its interests. This calls for:

• • • Proactive diplomatic outreach with Riyadh, the UAE, Oman, and Qatar, emphasizing India’s role as a reliable economic and security partner.
    • Leveraging India’s diaspora and trade ties in the region to maintain goodwill.
    • Expanding cooperation in infrastructure, technology, defence production, and space collaboration, building upon India’s rising profile as a strategic partner in West Asia.

• Monitoring Pact Implementation: While the SMDA is broad in language, its operational contours remain unclear. India should:

• • Establish dedicated mechanisms to closely monitor Saudi–Pakistani defence interactions.
  • Assess whether cooperation extends beyond symbolic declarations to tangible military integration.
  • Continuously evaluate whether the pact alters the regional military balance in ways directly affecting India’s security posture.