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Saudi-Pakistan Pact
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Context:
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, raising security and geopolitical concerns for India.
Background and Bilateral Context
- Strategic Defence Agreement: The pact states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” highlighting deep military collaboration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
- Indian Diplomatic Efforts: India has sought to isolate Pakistan internationally following the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam, yet these efforts have had limited success.
- Historical Relations: Saudi-Pakistan ties have been reinforced over decades, with Pakistan’s military seen as a reliable partner for Saudi regional and domestic security.
Geopolitical Implications
- West Asia Dynamics: The pact occurs amid wider regional changes post-Hamas-Israel conflict in October 2023, affecting strategic alignments in the Gulf and broader West Asia.
- Nuclear Significance: Pakistan, the Islamic world’s only nuclear-armed state, leverages its nuclear status to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia, gaining strategic and diplomatic leverage.
- Long-Term Planning: Reports indicate that this agreement has been in the making for around three years, reflecting sustained strategic planning by both Islamabad and Riyadh.
Implications for India
- Challenges to Indian Interests: The deal underscores limits of India’s outreach in West Asia and highlights potential divergences between India’s strategic objectives and Saudi-Pakistan priorities.
- Sunnism and Multialignment: The pact is partly driven by ideological alignment around Sunnism, while Saudi Arabia pursues strategic autonomy and multialignment, which may conflict with Indian regional interests.
- Call for Strategic Resolve: India must recalibrate its foreign policy, embrace risks, and act with strategic foresight to safeguard its interests in a rapidly reshaping geopolitical environment.
Practice Question:
“Analyse the implications of the Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement for India’s security and West Asian policy. Discuss how India can safeguard its strategic interests amid evolving regional alignments.”
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