February 15, 2026

Defense Pact

Pakistan-Saudi Pact Reveals Growing Distrust of US-Led Security Architecture • Stimson Center– www.stimson.org

pgnewser September 23, 2025

Pakistan-Saudi Pact Reveals Growing Distrust of US-Led Security Architecture • Stimson Center– www.stimson.org
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Excerpt:

Editor’s Note: Dr. Mohammad Salami is a Pakistan-based specialist on Middle Eastern policy, particularly in Iran and the Persian Gulf region. His areas of expertise include politics and governance, security, and counterterrorism, and he has written for Stimson about Iran’s energy woes, domestic rivalries and efforts to control the internet.

By Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow, Middle East Perspectives Project

The Israeli attack on Qatar on September 9 failed to kill Hamas leaders but may have catalyzed a “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” (SMDA) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the first between key countries in South Asia and the Middle East since the Cold War.

The decision by the two countries to sign a joint defense pact on September 17 reflects growing unease among wealthy Arab petrostates about the willingness of the United States to defend them against what they see as an increasingly unconstrained Israel, which has attacked multiple Arab countries and Iran since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long-standing military ties, with an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 Pakistani troops currently stationed in the kingdom. Under a 1982 agreement, Pakistan has provided military training to more than 8,000 Saudi military personnel. The new agreement intensifies these ties and in language reminiscent of the NATO alliance, defines any attack on either country as an attack on both.

Saudi-China energy, trade and investment ties | Reuters

‘Strategy is to…’: China welcomes Saudi-Pakistan defence deal, sees it as a move to corner India and Israel – India.Com

pgnewser September 22, 2025

Saudi-China energy, trade and investment ties | Reuters

‘Strategy is to…’: China welcomes Saudi-Pakistan defence deal, sees it as a move to corner India and Israel – India.Com
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Excerpt:

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a defence agreement on Wednesday, stating that an attack on either country will be treated as an attack on both. The pact is meant to strengthen their decades-old security partnership at a time when tensions in the region are rising. The two nations have always shared close ties, with Saudi Arabia often described as Pakistan’s “ATM” because of its repeated financial support.

Pakistan, who already shares close defence ties with China, welcomed the new Saudi-Pakistan pact. Chinese analysts have described the agreement as part of a strategy aimed at putting pressure on India and Israel.

The agreement comes as Saudi Arabia faces fresh security concerns. According to Global Times, Gulf countries have begun to question America’s reliability as their long-term security protector. Worries increased further after Israel’s recent attack on Qatar. In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said: “Any act of aggression against one will be considered an act of aggression against both.”

After the signing of the defence agreement, Pakistan’s state television showed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman smiling and hugging each other. Media reports said that Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was also present at the event. Munir, often described as the most powerful man in Pakistan, is believed to be the key figure behind this deal. Analysts say he understands that Pakistan’s army alone cannot defeat India, so he is trying to bring Saudi Arabia in as a strong security partner and source of pressure on New Delhi.