Saudi Arabia will stand by Pakistan if India launches a military offensive against its neighbour, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced on Friday. Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Asif highlighted the “strategic mutual assistance” clause in a new defence pact signed between Riyadh and Islamabad earlier this week.
“Yes, absolutely. There is no doubt about it,” Asif told Pakistan’s Geo TV, likening the agreement to NATO’s Article 5, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. He emphasised that the understanding with Saudi Arabia is meant to ensure collective security, not provoke confrontation.
“If there is aggression, whether against Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, we will jointly defend against it,” he said, underscoring that the deal is purely defensive in nature.
Asif added in a separate conversation with Reuters that the two countries have “no intention of using this pact for any aggression,” but if either nation is threatened, “this arrangement will become operative.”
Pakistan’s Nuclear Capability on the Table
The minister confirmed that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal could, in principle, be used to protect Saudi Arabia under the agreement, despite Islamabad’s official stance that its warheads are reserved for use only against India.
“Our capabilities will absolutely be available under this pact,” Asif said, noting that Pakistan has consistently allowed international inspections of its nuclear sites and has maintained a record free of violations.
A senior Saudi official, when asked by Reuters whether the deal obliges Pakistan to extend a nuclear shield, described it as “a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means.”
Signed During PM Sharif’s Visit
The mutual defence pact was formalised during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh earlier this week. As previously reported, a key provision of the agreement states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.” Reacting to the announcement, India’s government said the pact “formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries,” adding that its implications are under review.
India’s Response To the Defence Pact
On the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Agreement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership which has deepened considerably in the last several years. We expect that this strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities.”
Broader Geopolitical Ripples
Analysts told Reuters that the deal pairs Saudi Arabia’s financial strength with Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities, a combination that offers strategic gains to both. For Islamabad, it brings crucial economic backing and the prospect of closer alignment with Arab nations. For Riyadh, it provides what many see as a potential “nuclear shield.”
The move is expected to draw close attention from Israel, currently the only Middle Eastern nation believed to possess nuclear weapons, as well as from Iran, a key regional rival to Saudi Arabia.
When asked whether the pact could expand into a broader Arab security alliance, Asif was cautious but did not rule it out. “The doors are not closed,” he said. “I cannot prematurely answer this… but I think it is a fundamental right of the countries and people here, particularly the Muslim population, to defend their region together.”
