Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement”, pledging that any aggression against either nation would be treated as an attack on both.
The agreement was signed during a state visit by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Riyadh, at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
#BREAKING: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sign the Joint Strategic Defense Agreement pic.x.com/BoQiqnuPTP
— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) September 17, 2025
“This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieve security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” a joint statement published on Wednesday said, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The defence pact is based on the “historic partnership” between the two countries, the statement said, and on their “shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation.”
During their meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “discussed ways to enhance the strategic partnership between the two brotherly countries across various fields,” according to SPA.
“They also exchanged views on regional and international developments, issues of common interest, and the efforts aimed at achieving security and stability,” the statement added.
The agreement follows a recent summit in Doha, where 40 Islamic nations including Pakistan held a discussion on the formation of a NATO-like alliance. The talks gained urgency after Israel’s recent strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar. Significantly, Pakistan remains the only Islamic country with nuclear capabilities.