“Pakistan, the only nuclear weapons power in the Muslim world, is seeking to wield its military strength to become a key player in the Middle East. Beyond acting as a mediator between the United States and Iran, Islamabad is pursuing defense agreements and military sales. Its success in carving out a significant regional role will depend on its ability to navigate complex rivalries and on whether Middle Eastern nations are willing to risk their growing economic ties with India for security partnerships with Pakistan.”
“Pakistan’s leaders believe they have shifted this historical dynamic by signing a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) with Saudi Arabia on September 17, 2025. The two countries have maintained a security partnership that includes the deployment of Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia and the training of Saudi personnel in Pakistan. The SMDA rests on the understanding that an attack on either country constitutes an attack on both.”
“The details of the agreement are not public. However, if statements by Saudi and Pakistani leaders are to be believed, the pact is more substantive than symbolic. In January 2026, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye announced negotiations for a broader defense agreement, raising the prospect of a treaty-based institutionalized collective defense system resembling NATO.”
“The likely purpose of the SMDA is to enable Saudi Arabia to draw on battle-hardened Pakistani troops, pilots and drone operators for its defense, in return for Pakistani access to Saudi capital for its military industries. If Turkiye formalizes military cooperation with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia through a treaty or joint agreement, it would similarly secure Saudi capital for its own military manufacturing while pursuing co-production with or sales to Pakistan…”
https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/saudi-pakistan-turkiye-nexus/