Saudi-Pakistan sign defense pact amid shifting Middle East power dynamics

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan two long-time allies with deep military ties, have signed a sweeping mutual defense pact, cementing decades of cooperation at a time of growing uncertainty in the Gulf.

The agreement, unveiled in Riyadh on Wednesday, marks one of the most significant upgrades in the security partnership between the oil-rich kingdom and nuclear-armed Pakistan. Both governments framed the pact as a natural outcome of years of talks, but its timing is notable: Israel’s recent airstrikes on Qatar have rattled Arab capitals and cast fresh doubt on Washington’s ability to shield its Gulf partners.
“This is not about responding to a single event. It’s the institutionalization of a long-standing and trusted partnership,” a senior Saudi official told media. Yet, the regional backdrop tells another story. Israel’s attempted strike on Hamas leaders in Doha last week — just as Qatari mediators were working on a ceasefire proposal — has sharpened tensions across the Middle East and outraged Arab states.
According to a statement from Pakistan’s prime minister’s office, any attack on either country will be treated as an attack on both, effectively binding their militaries together against external threats. It also pledges expanded defense cooperation and a strengthened deterrent posture. Pakistani state television showed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warmly embracing after the signing, with Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, also present.
The agreement comes just months after Pakistan clashed militarily with its nuclear-armed rival, India, in May. New Delhi responded cautiously, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal saying on Thursday that India was “aware” of the development and would “study its implications for India’s security and for regional stability.”
Saudi officials were careful to stress that their partnership with Pakistan would not come at the expense of ties with India. “Our relationship with India is more robust than it has ever been. We will continue to grow this relationship and seek peace in the region,” the Saudi official added.
The pact could recalibrate strategic balances in a region already unsettled by the Gaza war. Gulf monarchies have been trying to reduce their dependence on U.S. security guarantees while simultaneously managing delicate relations with Iran and Israel. But Qatar — hit by Iranian strikes last year and Israeli ones this year — has become a flashpoint, underlining the fragility of the region’s security order.
When asked whether the agreement implied a Pakistani nuclear shield for Saudi Arabia, the Saudi official avoided a direct answer, saying only: “This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means.”