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Pakistan, Saudi Arabia sign key defence deal: ‘Attack on one, aggression against both’
Pakistan Saudi Arabia key defence deal: The pact comes just days after an Israeli strike targeted Hamas leaders in neighbouring Qatari capital Doha.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday signed a new defence agreement, under which the two sides said an attack on either of them would be considered "an aggression against both".
The deal – “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” – was signed by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sharif traveled to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the crown prince, a statement said.
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The strategic defence pact comes just days after an Israeli strike targeted Hamas leaders in neighbouring Qatari capital Doha. The air strike in Doha was described by the US, on which Gulf states have long depended on for their security, as a unilateral attack that does not advance American and Israeli interests.
"This agreement... aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression," AFP news agency quoted a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency.
"The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both," it added.
The signing of the agreement also comes just months after the four-day military conflict between Pakistan and India which followed Operation Sindoor carried out by Indian armed forces in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack of Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which terrorists found to have links with Pakistan killed 26 people.
The military conflict ended with Pakistani DGMO reaching out to the Indian counterpart seeking a pause on the fighting.
Israel last week carried out an attempt to kill political leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian outfit that is fighting the Israel forces in Gaza. The Israel strike in Doha killed six people.
Qatar, which said one of its security forces was killed in the attack, said Israel was treacherous and engaged in "state terrorism."
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said shortly after the air strike it was a “wholly independent Israeli operation” against top “Terreorist chieftains of Hamas”.
Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility, the PMO said.
In another parallel development, Qatar and the United States are also on the verge of finalising an enhanced defence cooperation agreement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he was not informed by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in advance about Israel's attack in Qatar last week.
India's response
India said it “will study the implications” of the strategic mutual defence pact signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, under which an attack on either nation will be treated as “aggression against both.”
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing a weekly media briefing in Delhi, noted that the government had been aware this agreement was being considered.
“We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The Government was aware that this development, which formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration,” Jaiswal said in response to media queries.
