Overview

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in Riyadh on September 17, declaring that an attack on one will be treated as an attack on both.
• The pact’s text and operational details remain undisclosed, with Pakistan’s defence minister saying the door is open for other Arab states to join and India urging Saudi Arabia to consider mutual interests and sensitivities.
• Analysts debate whether the accord implies a Pakistani nuclear deterrent covering Saudi Arabia, with reports citing remarks by Khawaja Asif but others disputing any nuclear umbrella and stressing the pact’s defensive intent.
• Ian Bremmer said the United States likely knew of the deal and did not propose it, characterizing it as part of Riyadh’s diversification of security partnerships.
• Expectations center on tangible economic gains for Pakistan through Saudi deposits, oil facilities and investment, and local markets have reacted positively as observers weigh how the agreement will be implemented.