Saudi Arabia inks mutual defense deal with nuclear-armed Pakistan

[Pakistan and Saudi Arabia two flags together realations textile cloth fabric texture]
Oleksii Liskonih/iStock via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a mutual defense agreement, under which any aggression against either country will be considered as an attack on both, following Israel's strike [https://seekingalpha.com/pr/20235924-israeli-fighter-jets-launched-ballistic-missiles-from-the-red-sea-in-qatar-strike-official] on Qatar last week.

The pact "aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression," according to a joint statement [https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2399706] from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

To note, Pakistan is the only Muslim-majority country that is nuclear-armed. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have had a decades-old defense relationship.

A Saudi Arabian official told [https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/saudi-arabia-nuclear-armed-pakistan-sign-mutual-defence-pact-2025-09-17/] _Reuters _that the latest agreement is the culmination of years of discussions, and "not a response to specific countries or specific events."

Pakistan developed its nuclear weapons program as a deterrent against India. Saudi Arabia also maintains close ties with India.

"We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability," India's foreign ministry said in a statement.

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