India responds to the defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan by saying, We will study the implications, committed to protecting national interests.

India stated Thursday that it will “study the implications” of this move for its “national security as well as for regional and global stability” and is dedicated to “protecting India’s national interests,” one day after Saudi Arabia and Pakistan inked a formal mutual defense treaty on Wednesday. The Indian government was “aware,” according to New Delhi, that this development had been “under consideration.”

The agreement is interpreted as a reaction to Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, and Washington’s withdrawal from the area, which had geopolitical repercussions throughout the region.

Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, and Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, inked the agreement Wednesday.

According to announcements released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency and Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, the agreement stipulates that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.”

According to the statement, “this agreement aims to strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression and develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries.”

“We have seen reports of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signing a strategic mutual defense pact,” stated Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs. The government knew that it had been considering this development, which formalizes a long-standing agreement between the two nations.

We’ll research how this trend affects regional and international stability in addition to our own national security. He declared, “The Government is still dedicated to safeguarding India’s national interests and guaranteeing complete national security in every area.”

India has built a solid and strong relationship with Saudi Arabia in the last ten or so years, despite the fact that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have a long history of security cooperation.

This development is being interpreted warily by New Delhi because it involves Pakistan, with whom India just suspended hostilities during four days of military combat in retribution for a cross-border terrorist attack in Pahalgam, and Saudi Arabia, one of its close strategic partners in the Gulf area.

The terrorist incident in Pahalgam, which occurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, was denounced by Saudi Arabia. Later, during Operation Sindoor—India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack that targeted terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)—Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir made an unexpected visit.