As part of its commitment to boosting security through its defence cooperation agreement, Pakistan has deployed aircraft and ground forces to Saudi Arabia. This was announced by the Saudi Defence Minister on Saturday following recent Iranian aggression toward Saudi Arabia which included attacks against Saudi facilities and the deaths of a Saudi citizen.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia entered into a Mutual Defensive Agreement (MDA) in September 2025 under which any act of aggression against one party would constitute an act of aggression against both parties, thus strengthening an already-long-standing defence relationship between the two nations.
Pakistan–Saudi defence pact and military deployment
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said in a statement that Pakistani fighter jets and support aircraft had arrived at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in the country’s eastern province. It said the Pakistani deployment aimed to strengthen joint defence cooperation and support regional and international security and stability.
Pakistan has long provided military support to the kingdom, including training and advisory deployments, while Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stepped in to support Pakistan financially during periods of economic stress.
Economic ties and long-standing partnership
Saudi Arabia’s finance minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan was in Pakistan on Friday to demonstrate economic support for the country, a source familiar with the situation said. In 2018, Riyadh announced a $6 billion support package for Pakistan, including a $3 billion deposit at the central bank and $3 billion worth of oil supplies on deferred payment.
Saudi Arabia has received fighter aircraft from Pakistan as part of their defence agreement, but could this cause ire in Iran and impede the current peace talks in Islamabad? Exactly when this happened is critical, as Islamabad is acting as a host for peace discussions, which are aimed at reducing tension in the region.
Will this deployment directly affect the current Iran peace process?
While many in Pakistan believe that this deployment is a continuation of previous defence agreements, it is likely that Iran may see this deployment in a different light. There are concerns that this deployment could complicate and hinder the current diplomatic efforts.
Nevertheless, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, while both concerned with the security of their nations, appear to be in tune with the situation as both countries closely watch how Iran will respond.
(With Inputs From Reuters)
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Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
