Overview

• The agreement commits each country to treat aggression against the other as an attack on both, with provisions for joint deterrence, intelligence sharing and military training.
• A senior Saudi official described the deal to Reuters as a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means, leaving the nuclear question ambiguous.
• Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif said on Geo TV that Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities would be made available to Saudi Arabia, then told Reuters nuclear weapons were not on the radar of the pact.
• India’s foreign ministry said it will study the pact’s implications and expects Riyadh to keep mutual interests and sensitivities in mind given New Delhi’s strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia.
• Pakistan’s deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar said other states have expressed interest in similar arrangements following the signing in Riyadh on September 17.