The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced Saturday the arrival of a military force from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector, acting in accordance with the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement signed between the two countries.
The force, which includes fighter and support aircraft from the Pakistani Air Force, aims to strengthen joint military coordination and elevate operational readiness between the Saudi and Pakistani armed forces to further support regional and international security and stability, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
On 17 September 2025, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, and His Excellency Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, signed, at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh (photo), the “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” (SMDA), the Government of Pakistan said in a statement.
This agreement reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance security and to achieve security and peace in the region and the world. It aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression, the statement added.
The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.
In recent years, shifts in Middle Eastern geopolitics - including concerns about external threats, responses to Israeli military actions, and doubts regarding American reliability as a security guarantor - have intensified regional security concerns. Many analysts view the agreement, at least in part, as a response to these dynamics.
The strengthening of military relations between Pakistan, a nuclear-armed state, and Saudi Arabia, represents a major shift in an already fragile Middle Eastern geopolitical landscape. By placing Riyadh under Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella, this agreement ends Israel’s virtual monopoly on regional nuclear capabilities. It thus contributes to a redefinition of the strategic balance in the Middle East.
In this context, Pakistan is managing to consolidate its position as a central player in Arab and Islamic security, while restoring its geostrategic influence on the international stage, particularly following its recent military performances against India. (SPA; Government of Pakistan; Agencies; Photo © SPA)
