Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a landmark mutual defence agreement, deepening their decades-old security partnership and triggering fresh concerns in India about regional stability. The deal, struck in Riyadh on Wednesday, commits both nations to respond jointly against any external aggression.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sealed the pact in the presence of Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. The agreement underscores “comprehensive defensive cooperation across all military domains,” according to a Saudi official, though he did not clarify whether it extends to a nuclear umbrella.

Pakistan, the only Muslim-majority nation with nuclear weapons and the Islamic world’s largest army, has historically maintained close ties with Saudi Arabia, rooted in faith, strategy, and economic dependence. Around 1,500–2,000 Pakistani troops are currently stationed in the kingdom, providing training and operational support.

The pact comes at a sensitive moment in the Middle East, just a week after Israeli strikes on Qatar unsettled the region, and only months after Pakistan’s brief border clash with India.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it was “aware of the development” and would assess its implications for New Delhi’s security and regional stability.