Pakistani media and analysts alike are hyping up the landmark defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, which states that any aggression against either country will be considered an aggression against both.
Calling it “historic” and “huge”, Pakistani analysts claim that two more nations are expected to sign similar agreements with Pakistan. Senior journalist Hamid Mir claimed the agreement showed that “Pakistan has emerged as a new power that can work with not only Middle Eastern nations but also South Asians to safeguard them against India and Israel.”
Interestingly, Mir also turned against US President Donald Trump, the same leader Pakistan praised as a “peacemaker” before nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. The journalist claimed that Israel’s bombing at Doha showed that Israel also attacked American allies. “Before, there was a perception that America stands by its allies, but that’s not the case anymore after Donald Trump,” he said.
🇸🇦🇵🇰: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact that any attack on either country will be considered an attack on both.
— Indo Affairs (@indoaffair) September 18, 2025
🇮🇳: India says "were aware about this development and will study the implications on National Security" pic.twitter.com/l5algeUopH
He further attempted to highlight the pact as “anti-India”, stating that the agreement had direct relations against Israel, a friend of “Pakistan’s arch-rival India.”
Commentator Shahzeb Khanzada was also at the forefront of portraying the pact as a threat to India. Calling it a “major development”, Khanzada said the clause declaring any aggression against one country as aggression against both added new weight to the relationship. “The statement effectively means that if Pakistan faces aggression, including from India, Saudi Arabia will stand by it,” he said.
He linked the development to recent regional events, including the Doha summit and Israeli strikes, which, he argued, accelerated the urgency for Arab countries to consider joint defence measures.
Pakistan’s foreign affairs expert Dr Nausheen Wasi too sought to highlight the pact as something that reflected “Pakistan’s regional significance”. “This pact is essentially about deterrence, as Pakistan’s nuclear capability strengthens its position in the region,” Dr Wasi said.
Despite Pakistan’s portrayal of the pact as targeting India, Saudi Arabia was quick to dismiss any such suggestions. "The agreement is not a response to specific countries or specific events... Our relationship with India is more robust than it has ever been. We will continue to grow this relationship and seek to contribute to regional peace in whichever way we can," a senior Saudi official told Reuters.
