Issue Brief on “Pakistan–Saudi Arabia Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement: Continuity, Context, and Strategic Implications”

On 17 September 2025, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia further elevated their long-standing security partnership by signing a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) during the visit of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to Riyadh. The official Joint Statement released by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan was categorical: The Agreement "aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression," adding that "any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both." [1] By placing joint deterrence at the heart of the arrangement, the agreement moves the bilateral relationship from a strong political understanding to a binding treaty framework.

Notably, the SMDA was concluded in the wake of far-reaching developments in the Middle East, including Israeli strikes on Doha on September 9, 2025, which killed five members of Hamas, and a Qatari security officer.[2] The attack, which occurred amid delicate ceasefire diplomacy, and Qatari mediatory efforts, shocked Gulf capitals. It was seen not only as a violation of Qatari sovereignty but also as a reminder that existing international security guarantees offered little protection against unilateral escalation.[3]

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