Overview

• Signed in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the agreement commits each country to treat aggression against one as aggression against both.
• Pakistan’s defence minister said on Geo TV that the country’s nuclear capabilities would be made available to Saudi Arabia under the pact, a claim later tempered in remarks to Reuters and not reflected in the joint statement.
• A senior Saudi official told Reuters the accord is a comprehensive defensive agreement covering all military means, reinforcing questions about any implied nuclear umbrella.
• India’s foreign ministry said it will study the pact’s implications and stated it expects Saudi Arabia to keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities as New Delhi weighs regional security effects.
• Pakistan’s deputy prime minister said other Gulf states have expressed interest in similar arrangements, while analysts view the deal as part of Saudi efforts to broaden security partnerships beyond sole reliance on Washington.