Overview

• Signed in Riyadh on Sept. 17 by Shehbaz Sharif and Mohammed bin Salman, the agreement declares an attack on one state will be treated as an attack on both.
• An anonymous Saudi-linked source told AFP that Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent would cover the kingdom, and Pakistani media cited remarks attributed to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, but no public treaty text confirms any nuclear arrangement.
• Islamabad characterizes the accord as defensive and officials highlight economic and industrial cooperation, with Asif saying the door is not closed to other Arab countries joining.
• Analysts frame the move as Saudi hedging after Israel’s strike on Doha and as part of a broader shift toward regionalized security beyond reliance on U.S. guarantees.
• India’s foreign ministry said it expects Saudi Arabia to consider mutual interests and sensitivities, while commentary in South Asia and the Gulf weighs potential investment flows and strategic implications.