What is the significance of Saudi-Pakistan pact?

For preliminary Examination:   Current events of national and international Significance

For Mains Examination:  GS II - International relations

Context:

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a mutual defence pact. The agreement formalises decades of informal military cooperation. Its timing, coming days after Israel’s bombing of Qatar and amid doubts over U.S. security guarantees to the Gulf monarchies, signals a shifting regional order

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Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Pact

Israel and Qatar

Key takeaways:

• The idea of collective defence implies that both nations are bound to act if either faces a security threat. To operationalize this, they have agreed to set up permanent coordination structures, including a joint military committee, systems for sharing intelligence, and broader training initiatives.
• Pakistan has maintained a military presence in Saudi Arabia for many years, but the latest defence pact formally embeds this cooperation within a treaty framework. Saudi Arabia is also believed to have extended considerable financial support to Pakistan’s nuclear programme in the past. In his 2024 book War, American journalist Bob Woodward recounts a conversation between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham that underscores the closeness of their ties.
• When the Crown Prince mentioned plans for uranium enrichment, Senator Graham questioned whether it was intended for building a bomb. MBS reportedly replied that he wouldn’t need to manufacture one, as he could simply purchase it from Pakistan.
• Although such remarks highlight the depth of their strategic relationship, the agreement itself does not explicitly state that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal would be available for Saudi defence—though Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has hinted at that possibility.
• The broader message is unmistakable: Saudi Arabia is signaling dissatisfaction with its existing security arrangements and inviting Pakistan to take on a greater strategic role in the Gulf.
• The timing of the agreement is as crucial as its substance. Saudi authorities revealed that negotiations with Pakistan had been underway for over a year, but the formal announcement came just a week after Israel’s strike on Qatar — a move that reflects the shifting security dynamics of the Gulf.
• Qatar hosts the Al-Udeid airbase, the largest American military installation in West Asia. Seeing such a well-fortified partner attacked without any repercussions appears to have convinced Riyadh that U.S. security assurances alone are no longer sufficient.
• This feeling of exposure is not new. Back in 2019, when Iran-backed groups targeted Saudi oil infrastructure, Washington refrained from intervening. The U.S., increasingly focused on East Asia, has little appetite to become deeply involved in Middle Eastern conflicts.
• Saudi Arabia’s strategic concerns are further sharpened by two developments — the ongoing Gaza conflict and the persistent threat from Yemen’s Houthis. The Hamas assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli offensive in Gaza derailed Riyadh’s U.S.-mediated plan to normalise ties with Tel Aviv through the Abraham Accords. The conflict has since widened across the region, adding to Gulf insecurity.
• At the same time, the Houthis have steadily strengthened their military capabilities. Their missile and drone operations have disrupted Saudi oil facilities and international shipping routes in the Red Sea.
• Even though a fragile truce exists, Riyadh still views them as a major threat. Despite repeated strikes by Saudi, U.S., and Israeli forces, the Houthis retain control over almost half of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.
• In this context, Pakistan emerges as a practical partner. As a Muslim-majority nation with a long history of providing military assistance to Saudi Arabia, it can reinforce Riyadh’s security. In return, Pakistan benefits from Saudi financial aid, which is vital for shoring up its struggling economy.
• Before the October 7 attacks,