Saudi Arabia, Nuclear-Armed Pakistan Sign Mutual Defense Pact

Under the deal, any attack on one country will be treated as an attack on both, in what leaders called a commitment to ‘joint deterrence against aggression.’

Royal Saudi Land Forces and units of special forces of the Pakistani army take part in a joint military exercise called "Al-Samsam 5" in Shamrakh field in southwest Saudi Arabia on March 30, 2015. Saudi Press Agency/file/AP Photo

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a strategic mutual defense agreement on Sept. 17 that commits the two longtime allies to treating any attack on one as an attack on both.

The Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement was sealed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit, hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

It comes after Israeli forces launched a unilateral strike in Doha, Qatar, on Sept. 9 aimed at taking out leaders of the Hamas terrorist group, a move that drew condemnation from both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

“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,” a joint statement issued by the two countries reads. “The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.”

During their meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, the two leaders reviewed what they called “historic and strategic relations” and agreed to expand investment and trade ties alongside military cooperation.

Sharif said on Sept. 18 that the talks covered a wide range of issues and reviewed regional challenges. The governments of both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan condemned the Israeli airstrike on Doha, saying it undermined security and stability in the region.

Following the attack, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia placed all its capabilities at Qatar’s disposal to “assist in any measures it may take.”

In his initial reaction to the Doha strike, U.S. President Donald Trump said that eliminating Hamas leaders remains “a worthy goal” for Israel, but assured Qatari officials “that such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”

On Sept. 15, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington and Doha were close to finalizing an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, highlighting Qatar’s role as host of the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base and as a mediator with Hamas.

Rubio offered no additional details but said the deal would strengthen security ties.

Decades of Cooperation

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have long maintained close military and economic ties.

The Pakistani government said the defense pact builds on “the historic partnership extending for nearly eight decades, based on the bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity, as well as shared strategic interests and close defense cooperation between the two countries.”

Pakistan has previously stationed troops in the kingdom to bolster Saudi defenses, including those around the Islamic holy sites of Mecca and Medina.

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia rolled more than $1.2 billion in oil import payments for Pakistan, part of a series of bailouts and deferred payment facilities that has propped up Pakistan’s economy. In 2018, the kingdom announced a $6 billion package that included loans and oil credit.

Both countries also conduct joint military training exercises, including on counterterrorism operations.

India’s Reaction

Another nuclear power in the region, India, said it was closely watching the developments.

“We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan,” Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement. “The Government was aware that this development, which formalizes a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration.”

He said India would look into how the new pact affects its national security and regional and global stability, reaffirming the Indian government’s commitment to protecting national interests and ensuring security in all areas.

In May, India and Pakistan clashed in their most serious fighting in years, following a terrorist attack on April 22 in the Indian-administered portion of Kashmir, a Himalayan region bordering Pakistan, India, and China.

India launched cross-border air and missile strikes on what it said were militant camps inside Pakistan. Pakistan responded with shelling, drone incursions, and counterstrikes before a U.S.-brokered cease-fire between two nuclear-armed states took hold on May 10.