India Urges Saudi Arabia to Consider Mutual Interests After Riyadh-Pakistan Defence Pact

New Delhi, September 19 — India on Friday said it expects Saudi Arabia to keep “mutual interests and sensitivities” in mind while pursuing its bilateral strategic partnership with New Delhi. The statement came after Riyadh signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” with Pakistan, a move seen as deepening defence ties between the two nations.

The pact, signed on Wednesday by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, declares that aggression against one country will be treated as aggression against both.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia has expanded significantly in recent years. “Our expectation is that this partnership will continue to progress in a manner that respects mutual interests and sensitivities,” he told reporters at the weekly briefing.

India had earlier noted that it will take all necessary steps to safeguard its national security following the Saudi-Pakistan agreement. Responding to questions on whether other Gulf nations like the UAE and Qatar could join the pact, Jaiswal said India maintains “expansive” ties with both. He cited recent high-level engagements, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call with the Emir of Qatar and a visit by UAE’s minister of state for foreign affairs, Reem Al Hashimy, to New Delhi for talks with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share a long history of military cooperation. Saudi Arabia signed its first defence agreement with Pakistan in 1967, later upgrading it in 1982. At one stage, over 15,000 Pakistani troops were stationed in the kingdom. Riyadh has traditionally relied on U.S. security guarantees while drawing on Pakistan’s manpower and expertise.

People familiar with the latest pact said it largely formalises existing understandings, especially on Pakistani support for Saudi Arabia. They added that the agreement’s timeline was advanced in response to recent Israeli strikes on Doha.