India Cautions Saudi Arabia After Defence Pact with Pakistan, Emphasises Shared Interests

India has voiced concern over the newly signed defence agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, urging Riyadh to remain mindful of New Delhi’s interests and sensitivities. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted that India’s ties with Saudi Arabia have expanded significantly in recent years and any new strategic commitments must account for their growing partnership.

The pact, called the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, was formalized during the visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to Saudi Arabia. Under its provisions, an attack on either Pakistan or Saudi Arabia would be treated as an attack on both. This clause has drawn particular attention as it implicitly opens the possibility of Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities being invoked for Saudi Arabia’s defence in case of a conflict.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India is “closely monitoring” the development and would carefully assess its implications for national security, as well as for broader regional and global stability. He underlined that India remains committed to safeguarding its interests across all security domains while continuing to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia.

The announcement has also sparked political debate at home. The Congress party criticised the government’s approach to foreign policy, arguing that it has been excessively driven by personalised diplomacy. Party leaders expressed concern that the Saudi-Pakistan pact could significantly affect India’s security environment and called for a more measured and institutionalised approach to handling bilateral relations.

India and Saudi Arabia have built strong cooperation in energy, trade, investment, and security over the past decade. Analysts note that while the new defence pact may not directly undermine those ties, it introduces fresh complexities that New Delhi will need to navigate carefully in the evolving regional landscape.