Overview

• The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement pledges that any attack on one country will be treated as an attack on both and formalises long-running cooperation on deterrence, intelligence and training.
• Pakistan’s defence minister said the country’s capabilities, including its nuclear deterrent, would be available under the pact, then separately told Reuters nuclear weapons were not on the radar, highlighting unresolved ambiguity.
• Pakistan’s Foreign Office described the accord as purely defensive and not directed at any third country, while the full treaty text has not been published beyond a joint statement.
• India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it expects Riyadh to keep mutual interests and sensitivities in mind and is studying the pact’s implications for national security and regional stability.
• Pakistani officials said other states have expressed interest in similar arrangements, as analysts cast the deal as part of Riyadh’s effort to diversify security ties beyond sole reliance on the United States.