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Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Strengthen Ties with Strategic Mutual Defence Pact

On September 17, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in Riyadh, declaring attacks on one as attacks on both.
Saudi concerns about U.S. deterrence pushed Riyadh to diversify defence partners after Tel Aviv's strike on Qatar earlier this month, framing the pact as complementing U.S. security guarantees.
Built on prior pacts dating to 1951, the SMDA formalises Pakistan's historic deployments of 4,000 to 5,000 troops in Saudi Arabia and strengthens nearly eight decades of ties.
Regionally, the agreement could deter Iran, its partners and Israel, complicate Saudi-India ties, slow IMEC implementation, and spur similar pacts involving the UAE.
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the pact resulted from long negotiations and is not a reaction to Qatar, while emphasising Pakistan's strategic future with China as India said it will study implications.

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