Saudi Arabia & Pakistan Sign a Strategic Mutual Defence Pact, India’s Reaction?

MEA Responds to Saudi-Pakistan Defence Agreement, Says “Riyadh will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities”

Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, addressed a press briefing about Saudi Arabia’s recent agreement with Pakistan. He said India expects Riyadh to consider the sensitivities and mutual interests. Jaiswal reportedly spoke about “Strategic Mutual Defence” at the press conference.

What is the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Defence Pact?

On Wednesday, Pakistan signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence” agreement with Saudi Arabia. According to this agreement, an attack on either of them will be treated as an attack on both countries. This is the same form of agreement that led to the Russia-Ukraine war. The pact was signed by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif.

The pact states, “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.”

This agreement was signed between these countries just four months after the tension between India and Pakistan eased after India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 and took out some terror camps in Pakistan. This attack was carried out in response to terror attacks from Pakistan in the Pahalgam region of Jammu and Kashmir.

MEA’s Take on Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Mutual Defence with Pakistan

The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, highlighted that India’s ties with Saudi Arabia have improved over the past few years. He said, “India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership which has deepened considerably in the last several years.” He added further, “We expect that this strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities.”

Furthermore, the MEA also remarked that India shall adopt all the measures required to protect its interests. Jaiswal also noted, "We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.” Further highlighting that “The government was aware that this development, which formalizes a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration.”

Overall, the Indians are unhappy with the agreement Saudi Arabia recently signed with Pakistan. The agreement says that aggression against either of the countries will be considered aggression against both countries. The spokesperson of MEA has some key points in response to this Strategic Mutual Defence pact.