Pak-Saudi Defence pact: India issues response over new development

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that it will "study the implications" of the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia strategic mutual defence pact, through which the two nations have agreed to observe an attack on either as an "aggression against both". 

Official spokesperson of MEA, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that the Government of India was aware that this development was under consideration. 

In an X post, Jaiswal responded to media queries by saying, "We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The Government was aware that this development, which formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration." 

Our response to media queries on reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
???? https://t.co/jr2dL0L4xP pic.twitter.com/Exlrm4wBEw

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) September 18, 2025

The statement read, "We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability. The government remains committed to protecting India's national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains." 

"The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement" was signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the Gulf nation upon the invitation of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman. 

AFP News Agency quoted a statement of the Saudi Press Agency, which read, "This agreement...aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression." 

Adding, "The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both." 

The strategic defence pact comes days after an Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar's capital, Doha. It also comes months after Pakistan's recent military conflict with India that lasted for four days. Following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India carried out Operation Sindoor strikes on Pakistan. The precision strikes carried out by India successfully neutralised key terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).