On Pak-Saudi mutual defence agreement

Neither Pakistan nor Saudi Arabia would like to be embroiled in each other’s regional conflicts.

On September 17, Pakistan signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” (SMDA) with Saudi Arabia. The agreement is a geo-strategic move, and after signing it, Islamabad has projected this as a major achievement in its brotherly relationship with Riyadh. Both countries have their own strategic interest, but it will bring economic dividends to the cash-strapped economy of Pakistan. Saudi Arabia has provided concessional financial aid and oil with deferred payment. While Pakistan is noncommittal about this agreement, another regional development where the Taliban foreign minister is scheduled to visit Delhi will cast a shadow on Islamabad, projecting the agreement with Saudi Arabia and its relationship with the United States as a big diplomatic victory.