Saudi-Pak pact: India must stay alert, not get anxious

AT first glance, the signing of a mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan appears dramatic: both sides have pledged to treat an attack on one as an attack on the other. Yet, it is less a strategic shift and more an institutionalisation of their decades-old military ties. Pakistan has long been a security partner for Riyadh, even extending a “nuclear umbrella” after it went nuclear. This pact is largely about regime security for the Saudi monarchy, set against tensions with Iran, Turkey and Syria, rather than a direct provocation to India. India, for its part, has responded with measured caution. The Ministry of External Affairs has assured that national interests will be protected. This pragmatism reflects two realities. First, India’s ties with Saudi Arabia have expanded well beyond oil, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally investing in a comprehensive strategic partnership. Second, Riyadh itself has signalled that it will remain sensitive to India’s concerns.