India says will ‘study’ national security implications of Saudi-Pakistan strategic defence pact

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that India will study the implications of the defence pact signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, adding that the government is committed to protecting national interests.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a new strategic defence pact on Wednesday, with the two sides saying an attack on one country would be considered “an aggression against both”. “This agreement… aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression,” read a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency.

“The Government was aware that this development, which formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration. We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability. The Government remains committed to protecting India’s national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

What is the defence pact?

The defence pact was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which aims to strengthen the security partnership amid heightened regional tensions.

It also comes at a time when Israel has expanded its military operations to Qatar, making Gulf nations wary of the reliability of the United States as their security partner.

The timing of the pact follows India’s Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 people in April.

A senior Saudi official told CNN, “Our relationship with India is more robust than it has ever been. We will continue to grow this relationship and seek to contribute to regional peace whichever way we can.”

Pakistani state television broadcast footage of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, embracing after signing the agreement. Also present was Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, widely considered the most powerful figure in the country.