Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a landmark mutual defence pact, pledging that an attack on one will be treated as an attack on both. The agreement was sealed in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif, with Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir also present. India’s Ministry of External Affairs reacted, saying it had anticipated the move and will study its implications for national security. The deal reflects Riyadh’s waning trust in U.S. security guarantees, especially after recent Israeli strikes in the Gulf. For decades, Pakistan has been Saudi’s “rent-a-security force,” but this marks their first formal strategic pact—reshaping Gulf geopolitics and India’s security calculus.

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