Pakistan, Saudi Arabia move to deepen defence partnership

Saudi Chief of General Staff calls upon PM Shehbaz, DPM Dar, COAS Asim Munir during his Islamabad visit

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signalled a renewed strategic alignment as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili in Islamabad to review defence cooperation, counterterrorism coordination and regional stability.

At the centre of the discussion was the recent historic strategic bilateral defence agreement signed during the prime minister’s visits to Riyadh over the past two months. Sharif described the pact as a “milestone” that both sides were now committed to operationalising through joint training, military exercises and expanded exchange of expertise.

The prime minister stressed that Pakistan viewed security cooperation with the Kingdom as essential for regional peace, adding that the two countries shared a longstanding resolve to combat terrorism and extremism. He said the partnership, grounded in shared faith and mutual confidence, remained a critical pillar of Pakistan’s foreign and security policy.

General Al-Ruwaili relayed congratulatory messages from the Saudi leadership and affirmed Riyadh’s strong desire to elevate the existing defence and strategic relationship. He reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to take cooperation to “new heights” in the coming phase. Sharif also expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s “consistent and unwavering support” to Pakistan, noting that the relationship had strengthened further through recent high-level engagement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also attended the meeting.

Pak-KSA defence agreement

In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, declaring that "any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both," according to a Pak-Saudi joint statement. The pact was signed during PM Shehbaz's visit to Riyadh at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

It added that the agreement "reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieving security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression." Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have longstanding strategic and defense cooperation but the latest pact is seen as significant against the backdrop of recent developments including Israeli strikes on Qatar.