India expects Saudi Arabia to keep in mind mutual interests, sensitivities: MEA

NEW DELHI: India on Friday said it expects Saudi Arabia to keep in mind “mutual interests and sensitivities” in the wake of Riyadh sealing a strategic defence pact with Pakistan.

The Ministry of External Affairs said India shares a “wide-ranging strategic partnership” with Saudi Arabia, one that has “deepened considerably” in recent years.

Responding to queries on the Saudi Arabia–Pakistan defence pact, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at his weekly media briefing said, “We expect that this strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities.”

His remarks came after Riyadh and Islamabad signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” earlier this week, triggering speculation over whether Saudi Arabia could gain access to Pakistan’s nuclear shield amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

The agreement states that “any aggression against either of the two countries shall be considered as an aggression against both”.

The “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” was signed by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday. Sharif, accompanied by Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, was on a visit to Saudi Arabia. The Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint statement said the new defence agreement reflects the “shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security” and it “aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.”

Pakistan has been a key ally of Saudi Arabia and both sides have a relationship in the defence sector. Saudi Arabia is largely dependent on the United States for its security but analysts say there appears to be rethinking about its security in recent years. The Pakistan deal is believed to be a firm indication of that shift.