Overview

• Riyadh and Islamabad announced a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement that frames any attack on one as an attack on both, formalizing decades of military cooperation.
• Pakistan’s defence minister told Geo TV that nuclear capabilities “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia, then told Reuters nuclear weapons were “not on the radar,” highlighting conflicting signals.
• A senior Saudi official described the pact to Reuters as a comprehensive defensive agreement covering “all military means,” while the treaty text has not been made public.
• India’s foreign ministry said it will study the pact’s implications and expects Saudi Arabia to keep mutual interests and sensitivities in mind.
• Pakistan’s deputy prime minister said other countries have expressed interest in similar arrangements, with the deal coming after Israel’s strike in Doha and as Gulf states diversify security partners beyond the United States.