Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement: Difference between revisions

2025 Pakistan–Saudi Arabia treaty

The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (abbreviation: SMDA; Urdu: تزویراتی باہمی دفاعی معاہدہ;^[1] Arabic: اتفاقية الدفاع المشترك الاستراتيجي) is a security and defence pact between the countries of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Under this agreement, both countries have committed to treating any act of aggression against one as an act against both. It was signed on 17 September 2025 at Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was in Saudi Arabia on a state visit.^[2][3][4]

Background

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share a long-standing relationship encompassing military and economic cooperation, as well as cultural and religious ties.^[5]

In recent years, changes in Middle Eastern geopolitics (including concerns about external threats, reactions to Israeli military actions, and perceptions of American reliability as a guarantor of security) have heightened regional security concerns. Many analysts see the agreement in part as a response to such dynamics.^[6][7][5][8]

Israeli airstrikes on Qatar

The Financial Times reported that the 9 September 2025 Israeli airstrike in Doha, Qatar, a U.S. ally, had deeply rattled the Gulf states‘ feeling of security, adding to long-running concerns about U.S. unpredictability and commitment to their defence.^[9] The attacks particularly threatened the U.S.’s commitments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), ensuring protection for capital cities in exchange for oil and gas, which Saudi Arabia is a party to.^[10][11] A senior Saudi official stated, “We hope it [the agreement] will reinforce our deterrence—aggression against one is aggression against the other”.^[9] It furthermore threatened their commitments to the Pakistan–U.S. Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement of 1954—the same year it joined the Southeast Asia Collective Defence Treaty (SEATO) and Middle East Treaty Organization (later “Central Treaty Organization”, CENTO).^[12]

Agreement

The treaty was signed on 17 September 2025 by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Riyadh. It came against the backdrop of the Israeli strikes on Qatar and followed the Arab–Islamic extraordinary summit in Doha.^[13] Both countries have had close economic, religious, and security ties since the 1960s,^[3][14] when Pakistani troops were first deployed on Saudi frontiers over fears of Egypt‘s participation in the North Yemen civil war.^[12][14][15] Since then, Pakistan trained between 8,000 and 10,000 Saudi military personnel.^[12][16][17]

According to a statement by the Saudi Arabia Press Department, “The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.”^[18] The agreement’s text was not officially published.^[12]

Nuclear sharing

Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons Program began in the early 1970s; performed its first tests, “Chagai-I“, beginning in 1974; and concluding the program, leading to generally being viewed as having nuclear capabilities by 1998.^[19][20] Saudi Arabia reportedly provided funding for these operations.^[14] A senior Saudi official told Reuters, regarding whether Pakistan would provide Saudi Arabia with a nuclear umbrella, “This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means.”^[7] However, nuclear weaponry is not explicitly mentioned.^[12] It is the first military pact between an Arab Gulf state and a nuclear power.^[18]

Reactions

Geopolitical analyst Ian Bremmer suggested that the pact could alter India’s security calculus, particularly if Saudi Arabia is committed to coming to Pakistan’s defence in the event of a conflict.^[21]

Domestic

Pakistan

An editorial in the Pakistani newspaper Dawn called it “the most significant upgrade to Pakistan–Saudi defence relations in decades”.^[22] Former Pakistani diplomat Hussein Haqqani noted that the treaty likely covers missile defence.^[23]

Saudi Arabia

Saudi officials portrayed the pact as a formalization of a long-standing military partnership, while also using it to send a message of strategic diversification amid regional turmoil.^[24]

Regional

Some neighbouring states and regional powers have expressed concern about the impact on the regional security balance. India in particular has reacted with statements that it is carefully monitoring the development.^[25][26] Analysts speaking to The Hindu said the timing of the pact appeared to be a warning after Israel’s expanding military offensive across the Middle East.^[27]

International

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2025)

References