Abhishek De
Imagine, another conflict breaks out between India and Pakistan. Pakistan is down in the dumps and then the Royal Saudi Air Force sends its F-15s and Eurofighter Typhoons to aid Islamabad. Pakistan may dream of it on the back of its newly signed defence agreement with Saudi Arabia. But, Pakistan's fantasies may not match Saudi Arabia's priorities (and ground realities), with analysts calling the pact nothing but posturing and more targeted towards Israel than India.
The 'Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement' signed between Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan on Wednesday has raised eyebrows over its wording. "Any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both," the agreement states, without naming any country.
The Nato-style defence pact and the wording of "attack on one = attack on both" will be viewed in Islamabad as a major diplomatic victory. It will likely see the pact as a strategic deterrence against India.
While Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have had an informal defence relationship stretching back decades, the latest pact is a significant step towards formalising security cooperation between the Islamic nations. It also marks a reset of Saudi-Pakistan ties after years of a frosty relationship.
WHAT THE DEAL MEANS FOR INDIA?
However, experts and geopolitical analysts have said the agreement doesn't mean that Saudi Arabia would go to war with India for Pakistan. The reality on the ground is quite different, and so is the timing of the announcement.
Wary of the optics surrounding the pact, Saudi Arabia was quick to delink it from its ties with India, which it said was "more robust than it has ever been".
"The agreement is not a response to specific countries or specific events... Our relationship with India is more robust than it has ever been. We will continue to grow this relationship and seek to contribute to regional peace in whichever way we can," a senior Saudi official told Reuters.
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