‘India expects Riyadh to keep mutual interests in mind’: MEA on Saudi-Pakistan defence pact

‘Wide-ranging strategic partnership’

“India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership that has deepened considerably in the last few years,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

“We expect that our strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities,” he said.

Jaiswal was responding to a question at his weekly media briefing.

VIDEO | Addressing media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal speaks on Saudi-Pakistan Military Pact.

He says, “India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership which has deepened considerably in the last several years considerably. We expect that our… pic.twitter.com/xCkCmqiYtn

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2025

Saudi-Pakistan defence pact

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” on Wednesday, which the two countries described as reflecting the “shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security.”

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, pose for photographs after signing a mutual defense pact. (Photo: AP)

The agreement signed by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” according to statements issued by both Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

In a joint statement, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia said the new defence agreement “aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.”

Pakistan has been a key ally of Saudi Arabia, and both sides have had a relationship in the defence sector for decades.

India-Saudi trade ties

India, on the other hand, has strong trade ties with the Kingdom and the bilateral trade reached approximately $41.88 billion to $42 billion in the fiscal year 2024-25. Out of this, India’s imports from Saudi Arabia accounted for $30 billion, while it exported goods worth about $11.7 billion to the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is India’s fifth-largest trading partner, while India is Saudi Arabia’s second-largest trading partner.