On September 17, 2025, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) in Riyadh, signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The pact dictates that any aggression against either nation is treated as aggression against both, formalizing a long-term, eight-decade security, political, and military partnership.
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) +3
Key Details of the Agreement:
Atlas Institute for International Affairs +4
While some analysts describe it as a significant shift in Gulf security away from sole reliance on the United States, others see it as a symbolic reinforcement of a longstanding partnership rather than an unconditional military intervention guarantee.
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) +2
Implications:
