On Wednesday, when Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Riyadh on a one-day visit, Saudi F-15 fighter jets welcomed him as his aircraft entered Saudi airspace.
The Prime Minister was given a 21-gun salute, and contingents of the Saudi armed forces presented a guard of honor.
This was the first time in history that Pakistan received such a warm reception.
The highlight of the visit was the signing of a Joint Strategic Defense Agreement (JSDA) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Under this pact, any external aggression against one country will be considered aggression against both. Leaders of both nations have described the pact as “historic.”
The announcement of this defense partnership comes at a time when Arab states are deeply concerned following Israel’s attack in Doha, Qatar’s capital.
Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman wrote on X: “Saudi Arabia and Pakistan — united against the aggressor, always and forever.”
Back in December 2015, in a similar context, Pakistan contributed to the Saudi-led military alliance against terrorism. The command of that special coalition force was given to Pakistan’s former Army Chief, General (Retd) Raheel Sharif.
Why now?
Analysts argue that Riyadh has sought this formal defense pact as Gulf states reassess their security strategies. With growing skepticism over U.S. commitments, Pakistan—with its large, battle-hardened military and nuclear capability—emerges as an attractive partner to fill the strategic void. Pakistan is already seen as a reliable “security provider” in the Arab world, a role reinforced by this agreement.
Regional reactions
Pakistan’s traditional rival, India, reacted cautiously. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi is “closely watching this important development” while keeping in mind its own national security as well as regional and global stability.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Tejaswi Prakash described the pact as “stunning,” writing on X: “Pakistan has signed a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia under which an attack on one will be considered an attack on the other. This is a serious strategic shift that strengthens Islamabad’s security.”
Until now, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had an informal defense understanding, but this agreement has formalized their security partnership.
Pakistan possesses nuclear weapons and advanced delivery systems that can strike targets across the Middle East, including Israel — and continues to develop such capabilities.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine inherited the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal. But by 1996, it had surrendered all its nuclear weapons to Russia under the Budapest Memorandum, in exchange for economic aid and security assurances from Western powers and Russia itself.
However, those guarantees proved hollow. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while Western assurances failed to prevent the aggression.
This context helps explain why Saudi Arabia has moved closer to Pakistan. Riyadh does not want to depend entirely on Western security guarantees—especially after muted response to Israel’s attack on Qatar. By aligning with a nuclear-armed Pakistan, Saudi Arabia seeks a credible security partner.
