New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- A day after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia sealed a landmark security accord, India on Thursday said it will take every measure necessary to safeguard its interests and maintain national security across all fronts.
The "Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement", signed in Riyadh on Wednesday by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, declares that "any aggression against either of the two countries shall be considered as an aggression against both," according to a joint statement issued by Islamabad and Riyadh.
Reacting to the development, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was aware that such a framework had long been under discussion. "We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The government was aware that this development, which formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration," he told reporters.
Jaiswal added that India would examine the implications of the accord. "We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability. The government remains committed to protecting India's national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains," he said.
Prime Minister Sharif, accompanied by Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, traveled to Saudi Arabia for the signing ceremony. The agreement comes just over four months after India and Pakistan engaged in a brief military confrontation.
The Pakistan-Saudi joint statement described the pact as reflecting the "shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security" and said it aims to "develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression." Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have historically shared close defence ties, dating back to a 1982 bilateral security cooperation agreement that covered military training and joint defence activities. The latest accord significantly elevates this partnership at a time of heightened tensions in West Asia, following Israeli strikes in Doha that killed senior Hamas leaders.
India, meanwhile, has also deepened security cooperation with Riyadh in recent years. In December 2020, then Army Chief Gen M M Naravane became the first head of the Indian Army to visit Saudi Arabia, marking a milestone in defence relations between the two countries.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.