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Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement

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Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, parties to the Agreement
TypeDefence pact
Signed17 September 2025; 8 days ago (2025-09-17)
LocationAl Yamamah Palace, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Signatories
Parties
LanguageEnglish

The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA; Urdu: تزویراتی باہمی دفاعی معاہدہ;[1] Arabic: اتفاقية الدفاع المشترك الاستراتيجي) is a security and defence pact between the countries of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Under this agreement, both countries have committed to treating any act of aggression against one as an act against both (also known as collective security). It was signed on 17 September 2025 at Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was in Saudi Arabia on a state visit.[2][3][4]

Background

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See also: Pakistan–Saudi Arabia relations

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share a long-standing relationship encompassing military and economic cooperation, as well as cultural and religious ties.[5]

In recent years, shifts in Middle Eastern geopolitics—including concerns about external threats, responses to Israeli military actions, and doubts regarding American reliability as a security guarantor—have intensified regional security concerns. Many analysts view the agreement, at least in part, as a response to these dynamics.[6][7][5][8]

Israeli airstrikes on Qatar

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The Financial Times reported that the 9 September 2025 Israeli airstrike in Doha, Qatar, deeply unsettled the Gulf states' sense of security, exacerbating long-standing concerns about U.S. unpredictability and commitment to their defence.[9] The attacks particularly challenged U.S. obligations under the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which include protecting capital cities in exchange for oil and gas, a framework in which Saudi Arabia is a participant.[10][5] A senior Saudi official stated, "We hope it [the agreement] will reinforce our deterrence—aggression against one is aggression against the other".[9] Furthermore, the strikes threatened U.S. commitments to the Pakistan–U.S. Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement of 1954—the same year Pakistan joined the Southeast Asia Collective Defence Treaty (SEATO) and the Middle East Treaty Organization (later CENTO).[11]

Agreement

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The treaty was signed on 17 September 2025 by the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and the Pakistani prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, in Riyadh. It came against the backdrop of the Israeli strikes on Qatar and followed the Arab–Islamic extraordinary summit in Doha.[12] Both countries have had close economic, religious, and security ties since the 1960s,[3][13] when Pakistani troops were first deployed on Saudi frontiers over fears of Egypt's participation in the North Yemen civil war.[11][13][14] Since then, Pakistan has trained between 8,000 and 10,000 Saudi military personnel.[11][15][16]

According to a statement by the Saudi Arabia Press Department, "The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both."[17] The agreement's text was not officially published.[11]

Nuclear sharing

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See also: Nuclear sharing § Potential nuclear sharing between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

Pakistan's nuclear weapons program began in the early 1970s. Its first tests, code-named Chagai-I, were performed in 1998 and led to the country being generally viewed as having nuclear capabilities by 1998.[18][19] Saudi Arabia reportedly provided funding for these operations.[13] A senior Saudi official told Reuters, regarding whether Pakistan would provide Saudi Arabia with a nuclear umbrella: "This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means."[7] However, nuclear weaponry is not explicitly mentioned.[11] It is the first military pact between a GCC state and a nuclear power.[17]

Reactions

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Geopolitical analyst Ian Bremmer suggested that the pact could alter India's security calculus, particularly if Saudi Arabia is committed to coming to Pakistan's defence in the event of a conflict.[20]

Domestic

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Pakistan

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An editorial in the Pakistani newspaper Dawn called it "the most significant upgrade to Pakistan–Saudi defence relations in decades".[21] Former Pakistani diplomat Hussein Haqqani noted that the treaty likely covers missile defence.[22]

Saudi Arabia

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Saudi officials portrayed the pact as a formalization of a long-standing military partnership, while also using it to send a message of strategic diversification amid regional turmoil.[11]

Regional

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Some neighbouring states and regional powers have expressed concern about the impact on the regional security balance. India, in particular, has reacted with statements that it is carefully monitoring the development.[23][24] Analysts speaking to The Hindu said the timing of the pact appeared to be a warning after Israel's expanding military offensive across the Middle East.[25]

The Institute for the Study of War reported that the Iranian government was likely concerned about the pact, regarding previous Iranian hostilities and strikes on the territories of both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, including the 2019 Abqaiq–Khurais attack and the 2024 Iranian missile strikes in Pakistan.[26]

References

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  1. ^ "پاکستان اور سعودی عرب کے درمیان 'تزویراتی باہمی دفاعی معاہدے' پر دستخط" [Signing of a 'Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement' between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia]. العربیہ اردو (in Urdu). 17 September 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  2. ^ "HRH the Crown Prince, Pakistan Prime Minister Hold Official Talks, Sign Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement". Saudi Press Agency. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Joint Statement on the State Visit of Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  4. ^ Momand, Abdullah (17 September 2025). "Pakistan and Saudi Arabia sign defence pact pledging joint response to aggression". Dawn. Karachi. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Siddiqui, Usaid (17 September 2025). "Saudi Arabia signs mutual defence pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  6. ^ Yousaf, Kamran (18 September 2025). "Pakistan, KSA sign defence pact". The Express Tribune.
  7. ^ a b Dahan, Maha; Shah, Saeed (17 September 2025). "Saudi Arabia, nuclear-armed Pakistan sign mutual defence pact". Reuters. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
  8. ^ Abdel-Baqui, Omar (18 September 2025). "Saudi Arabia Seeks New Security Alliances as Trust in U.S. Erodes". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  9. ^ a b England, Andrew; Al, Ahmed Omran; Jilani, Humza (17 September 2025). "Saudi Arabia signs 'strategic mutual defence' pact with Pakistan". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 17 September 2025.
  10. ^ "باكستان والسعودية: هل تؤرّخ اتفاقية الدفاع المشترك الجديدة بين البلدين لتحوّل في ميزان القوى الإقليمية؟". BBC News Arabic (in Arabic). 19 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Akhtar, Rabi (18 September 2025). "Beyond the Hype: Pakistan-Saudi Defense Pact Is Not a Saudi Nuclear Umbrella". Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  12. ^ Hussain, Abid (18 September 2025). "'Watershed': How Saudi-Pakistan defence pact reshapes region's geopolitics". Al Jazeera.
  13. ^ a b c "Saudi Arabia signs a mutual defense pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan after Israel's attack on Qatar". Associated Press News.
  14. ^ "Saudi Arabia signs mutual defense pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan". The Times of Israel. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  15. ^ Hashim, Asad (22 February 2018). "Pakistan silent on Saudi Arabia troop deployment". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  16. ^ "10,000 Saudi soldiers being trained in Pakistan". Middle East Monitor. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  17. ^ a b Jamal, Umair (19 September 2025). "Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Forge Strategic Defense Pact Amid Shifting West Asian Dynamics". The Diplomat. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  18. ^ "Pakistan Nuclear Weapons Program". EBSCO. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  19. ^ Khan, Feroz Hassan (2014). Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb. Palo Alto, California, USA: Stanford University Press. pp. 182–183. ISBN 978-0-8047-8480-1.
  20. ^ "Ian Bremmer: Saudi-Pakistan defence pact will change life for India". India Today. 19 September 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  21. ^ "Here is what analysts have to say about the Pak-Saudi defence agreement". Dawn. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  22. ^ Haqqani, Husain [@husainhaqqani] (18 September 2025). "The term 'strategic' in the Saudi-Pakistan 'Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement' implies that it cover nuclear and missile defense. Pakistan has always used the term 'strategic assets' for its nuclear & missile programs" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 September 2025 – via Twitter.
  23. ^ "Defence pact: Pakistan-Saudi Arabia declare joint response to any aggression; India reacts". The Times of India. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  24. ^ "Saudi-Pakistan defence deal a worry for India: Congress". The Economic Times. 19 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  25. ^ "Pakistan-Saudi Defence deal: Nuclear programme will be made available to Saudi under new pact, says Defence Minister Khawaja". The Hindu. 19 September 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  26. ^ Glynn, Jordan (19 September 2025). "Iran Update, September 19, 2025".
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