Islamabad/Riyadh/New Delhi, September 20, 2025 — Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested that Saudi Arabian forces could potentially be drawn into military action if tensions between Pakistan and India were to escalate. His remarks came during an interview with Geo News, where he underscored the scope of the recently signed Saudi–Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement.
When asked directly whether Saudi troops would join Pakistan in a conflict with India, Asif responded, “Ji bilkul, isme koi shak nahi hai” (“Yes, absolutely, there is no doubt about it”), emphasizing that the pact provides a joint defence framework. However, he stressed that neither Islamabad nor Riyadh has identified any country as an adversary. Instead, he described the arrangement as an “umbrella” designed to jointly address any acts of aggression.
“We have not named any country as the aggressor, nor has Saudi Arabia. This is simply an umbrella arrangement. In case of any aggression, from any country, it will be jointly addressed and defended. This is not an aggressive pact or a conventional defence arrangement,” Asif clarified. Speaking separately to Reuters, he added, “We have no intention of using this pact for aggression. But if the parties are threatened, then obviously this arrangement will become operative.”
The agreement, signed in Riyadh by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, commits both nations to treat an attack on one as an attack on the other, signaling a significant deepening of their military ties.
Meanwhile, India reacted cautiously to the development. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to questions about the pact, reiterated the importance of India’s growing strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia.
“India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership which has deepened considerably in the last several years. We expect that this strategic partnership will continue to reflect mutual interests and sensitivities,” Jaiswal said during a press briefing on Friday.
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