New Delhi, Sept. 23 -- On 17 September 2025, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Pakistan, projecting itself as the only nuclear-armed Muslim majority state, entered a strategic mutual defence agreement (SMDA). The bilateral pact has a key clause which underlines their mutual commitment by stating that ​​"any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both."

This Nato-like defence commitment turns their 'short-of-alliance partnership' into a 'formal bilateral alliance.' For the KSA, Israel's recent attack on Qatar and concerns for the Gulf region's overall security is a major driver; whereas, for Pakistan, any development in its alliance network always had an Indian element as a motivating f...