NEW DELHI, SEPT 20: India said on Friday it hoped Saudi Arabia would keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities between the two countries, two days after Riyadh signed a mutual defence pact with New Delhi’s old foe Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed the pact on Wednesday, and although few details have been made public, analysts said it could mean Riyadh will have a de facto nuclear shield under the agreement.
The agreement, which came amid diplomatic upheaval in the Middle East and just months after a deadly India-Pakistan conflict, says any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.
“India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership which has deepened considerably in the last few years,” Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters during a weekly news briefing.
“We expect that this strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities,” he said.
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Saudi Arabia is one of the top exporters of petroleum to India and the two countries agreed this year to boost cooperation in supplies of crude and liquefied petroleum gas.
The two nations were also exploring joint projects in refineries and petrochemicals, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this year.
On Thursday, India’s foreign ministry said it was aware that the pact had been under consideration and that it would study the implications for New Delhi.
Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim nation, has an army of more than 600,000 soldiers to defend against India. The neighbours have fought three major wars, along with numerous clashes, including the four-day conflict in May that was their heaviest fighting in decades.
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The Indian ministry spokesperson underlined on Thursday that India’s security preparedness remains comprehensive and multi-dimensional. “The Government remains committed to protecting India’s national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains.,” Jaiswal said.
On Wednesday, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia concluded a historic strategic mutual defence agreement, under which Pakistan becomes a partner in the protection of the Two Holy Mosques.
The pact affirms Pakistan’s role alongside Saudi Arabia in defending the sacred sites and strengthens defence cooperation between the two countries. The heads of state of both nations signed the landmark agreement, with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir playing a key role in its success.
In light of current and anticipated threats and challenges, the agreement aims to enhance defence capabilities and integrate the military forces of both countries. Under its terms, any external armed attack on either nation will be considered an attack on both. This accord thus represents a significant milestone in the defence relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
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The signing reflects the deep bilateral ties and security cooperation maintained over decades, including joint military training, multilateral exercises and defence industry collaboration. The agreement also serves the shared objective of promoting peace and consolidating regional and international security. For both countries, the defence pact offers substantial benefits in terms of security, economy and diplomacy.
Joint defence means that both nations will confront any threat together, with the military strength of one supporting the defence of the other.
