On 18 September, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a formal mutual defense pact. The agreement states that an attack on either nation will be treated as an attack on both, reinforcing their shared security alliance. It institutionalizes decades of informal cooperation and aims to bolster joint deterrence. The pact was signed during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh and comes against the backdrop of rising regional tensions, including the Gaza war and recent strikes on Qatar. India’s Ministry of External Affairs noted that it is aware of the development and is studying its implications.