Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a historic mutual defense pact, declaring that any attack on one country will be treated as an attack on both. The agreement comes shortly after Israel’s strike on Qatar earlier this month, marking the first concrete defense step taken by a Gulf Arab nation since the incident.
The pact was signed in Riyadh by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Both governments confirmed that the deal aims to strengthen defense cooperation and establish joint deterrence against external threats. While the agreement does not directly mention nuclear weapons, it reinforces long-standing speculation that Saudi Arabia could benefit from Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella, especially with ongoing tensions over Iran’s atomic program.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share decades of close economic, religious, and defense ties. Islamabad has historically pledged military support to defend the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, and its nuclear program was initially developed to counter India’s arsenal. According to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, India holds about 172 nuclear warheads compared to Pakistan’s 170.
The United States, traditionally the primary security guarantor for Gulf nations, and Israel have yet to respond to the new pact. However, India acknowledged the development on Thursday, stating it will carefully assess its impact on both national security and broader regional stability.
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