The recent defense cooperation pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia reflects a deepening of strategic ties in the Islamic world. Traditionally, Saudi Arabia has relied on Pakistan for military training, defense manpower, and even nuclear deterrence hedging, while Pakistan has benefited from Saudi financial support and energy supplies. This defense pact goes beyond symbolic friendship, as it reportedly includes military exercises, intelligence sharing, and potential cooperation in defense technology. For Saudi Arabia, which seeks to strengthen its security architecture amid rising tensions with Iran and the uncertainty of US commitments, Pakistan remains a crucial partner with nuclear capability, a professional army, and long-standing military experience in the region.
The impact of this pact on India is significant. First, it strengthens Pakistan’s diplomatic and military backing from the Gulf, which could embolden Islamabad in its posture toward India, particularly on issues like Kashmir. Second, Saudi Arabia’s tilt toward Pakistan complicates India’s carefully built relations with Riyadh, where New Delhi had invested in energy trade, diaspora engagement, and counterterrorism cooperation. Although Saudi Arabia still values its economic ties with India, this defense pact introduces a new layer of strategic imbalance. It may force India to further solidify its partnerships with countries like the UAE, Qatar, and especially Iran, to balance Saudi–Pakistan alignment.
In the broader geopolitical context, this pact feeds into discussions around an “Islamic NATO” – a concept long floated but never fully realized. Saudi Arabia has often sought to lead a Sunni-dominated military coalition, exemplified by the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition formed in 2015, with Pakistan playing a pivotal role. The idea is to create a unified Islamic military alliance capable of addressing regional security threats, from terrorism to Iranian influence. However, the viability of such an “Islamic NATO” is limited by divisions within the Muslim world – including differences between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Gulf rivalries, and Pakistan’s own balancing act with Iran.
In the current geopolitical scenario, the Pakistan–Saudi pact signals a trend toward bloc politics in the Muslim world, with potential consequences for South Asia. For India, it underscores the need for a careful balancing strategy – strengthening ties with Gulf states without alienating Iran, maintaining security readiness against Pakistan, and deepening partnerships with powers like the US and France. Ultimately, while the pact may not drastically shift the balance of power immediately, it marks a step toward greater polarization in the Islamic world, where India must navigate carefully to protect both its security and economic interests.
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