September 17 will be remembered as a watershed moment in Pakistan–Saudi Arabia relations, a day that introduced a new chapter of binding strategic cooperation.

With the signing of the Saudi–Pakistan Strategic Defence and Military Agreement (SDMA), both nations not only deepened their bilateral ties but also carved out a unique space in global security architecture. Analysts have compared this pact to Nato’s Article 5 commitment, where an attack on one is considered an attack on all. Yet, the SDMA goes further in its distinctiveness, aligning two asymmetric but complementary powers.

Pakistan, with its proven military muscle, nuclear capability and strategic depth, and Saudi Arabia, a leading global economic player controlling the levers of energy supply and wealth – this asymmetric alliance makes the agreement both unprecedented and consequential for the wider region.

The global landscape provides the backdrop to understand the timing and magnitude of this pact. The Middle East has been at the heart of shifting power balances in recent years, with US credibility declining amid its failure to rein in Israeli aggression against Palestinians and its chaotic exits from regional crises. Meanwhile, the East is on the rise: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has created new corridors of influence, and the BRICS bloc has expanded into a larger economic counterweight to Western-led institutions.

In this shifting order, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have taken the bold step of formalising their strategic convergence, offering each other a unique blend of security and economic reassurance. For Pakistan, the agreement is nothing short of a diplomatic and security breakthrough. Geographically, the pact allows Pakistan access to Saudi Arabia’s southern borders, from where Israel is barely 200 miles away. This proximity opens immense possibilities for intelligence gathering and surveillance, something that Pakistan cannot achieve conveniently from its own soil.

For decades, Pakistan’s security establishment has been wary of India’s growing defence cooperation with Israel. Joint Indian–Israeli defence production projects, particularly in drone warfare and advanced missile systems, have tilted the military balance in........

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