PERHAPS the most important Southeast Asian regional security event—economically and politically significant from Pakistan’s point of view—and a foreign policy trendsetter in the Middle East was the Pak-Saudi Defence Accord, recently signed between the two countries.

The security agreement with Saudi Arabia offers Pakistan three important advantages, significantly upgrading Pakistan’s long-standing defence and security cooperation with the Kingdom. It also rebalances the bilateral relationship, as for years Pakistan has been a recipient of crucial Saudi support to keep its economy afloat. Finally, it allows Pakistan to reclaim some lost influence in the Gulf region, as India-Gulf ties have improved in recent years, often at Pakistan’s expense. In the months since the conflict with India in May, Pakistan’s goal has been to communicate its version of events and seek support as the country anticipates another crisis with India. Islamabad and Riyadh have committed to treating “any aggression against either country” as an “act of aggression against both,” which enhances Pakistan’s relative position vis-à-vis India.

India will be concerned by both the timing and scope of the Saudi-Pakistan agreement. Immediately, it complicates India’s political calculus toward managing conflict with Pakistan. New Delhi would have to factor in potential diplomatic and financial support for Pakistan from the Gulf in its next stand-off with Pakistan, which could extend to assured oil supplies in the event of a prolonged India-Pakistan conflict. It could also frustrate........

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