As Saudi Arabia marks its national day today, September 23, 2025, the occasion resonates far beyond the kingdom’s geographical borders.
For the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, September 23 has arrived at a time when relations with Riyadh seem to be at an all time high, a reflection of which was visible in the cozy signing ceremony of a mutual defence agreement between the two just days ago.
While historically the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has been rooted in shared faith, history, and security concerns, it is no secret that the two nations had drifted in opposite directions over the past decade. Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia recalibrated their respective regional policies and, for a time, seemed to be charting separate courses. However, much has changed around the world over the last two years, and the relationship between the two muslim states is no exception.
Israel’s widening military campaign across West Asia (what many still call the Middle East), and its unprecedented strike on Doha earlier this month, have forced Gulf states to rethink their security assumptions. This is to say that there is now a growing realisation that if even a US-aligned state such as Qatar could be targeted with impunity, the reliability of Washington’s security umbrella stands in question. In this rather grim atmosphere of uncertainty, Riyadh seems to have quickly diversified its partnerships, and Pakistan, with an undoubted military might especially in the muslim world, has emerged as a natural and trusted ally.
Many commentators have come forth with interpretations of the new agreement between the two states. These commentators see the most striking aspects of the agreement as the clause that declares ‘any aggression against one country shall be considered aggression against both.’ While in Pakistan this is being seen as a deterrent to India, the Kingdom sees it as a hedge against threats regionally. Whatever your understanding of the clause may be, the underlying message of the new agreement is clear and unmistakable: the Pakistan-Saudi love story is not one to be taken lightly. It is a relationship that now seems to go beyond mere words of brotherhood and / or financial bailouts but more so built on the foundations of reliability, trust and loyalty.
For Pakistan, this has also come as an opportunity to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 (more personal reflections on that in a separate piece), which seeks to diversify the Kingdom’s economy and open new avenues for growth. For Riyadh, it presents an opportunity to invest in Pakistan’s young workforce and its strategic connectivity to Central and South Asia.
It is also important to bear in mind that all these developments have come at a time when the backdrop of Saudi-Iran rapprochement has also removed a source of friction that once complicated Islamabad’s ties with Riyadh giving the space to both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia e to pursue a balanced partnership that is not hostage to old rivalries.
With all said and done, it is clear that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have weathered differences, tested alternative alignments and explored new partnerships, but their strategic similarities have brought the two back together. The defence agreement is a statement of bipartisan trust and a sense of shared purpose. Of course, it would be interesting to note what role Riyadh plays in the event of a South Asian conflict, but till then (and hopefully that is never) , I wish the dearest people of Saudi Arabia a very happy national day with the hope that the people of both countries and planet earth can live in shared peace, harmony, and prosperity.
