The Hindu Editorial Analysis
20 September 2025
The Saudi-Pakistan pact is a dodgy insurance policy
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
Topic : GS Paper II – International Relations | GS Paper III – Security | Essay/IR Optional
Context
The editorial discusses the recently announced Strategic Defence Agreement (SDA) between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan at Riyadh in September 2025. While projected as a security guarantee for Riyadh, the pact is critiqued as fragile, unsustainable, and potentially counterproductive in the long run.
Key Issues and Arguments
1. Historical Context of Saudi-Pakistan Military Ties
- Links date back to 1951, with Saudi Arabia hosting Pakistani military contingents during 1979-87 to guard the Holy Sites.
- Pakistan’s contingents played a role in multiple Gulf crises — Kuwait (1990), Yemen civil war (2015) — but with limited mandate.
- Riyadh often treated Pakistani troops as an “insurance policy” but never gave them frontline responsibilities.
2. What the SDA Promises
- A binding bilateral defence pact ensuring Pakistan’s military support against external threats.
- Covering joint training, weapons supply, and deployment guarantees.
- Pakistan positioned as Riyadh’s fallback partner amidst Iran, Yemen, and Israel conflicts.
3. Problems with the Pact
- Limited Credibility of Pakistan’s Military Role
- Historically reluctant to engage in active combat, preferring symbolic presence.
- Internal fragility of Pakistan weakens its ability to deliver on strategic commitments.
- Regional Repercussions
- Risks escalating Sunni-Shia rivalries, alienating Iran and Shia actors.
- Could entangle Pakistan deeper in West Asian conflicts, which it has long avoided.
- U.S. Factor
- Washington’s past role in underwriting Riyadh’s security is eroding.
- SDA seems like an attempt to replace U.S. guarantees with a weaker substitute.
4. The Calculations Behind Riyadh’s Move
- Saudi Arabia wants assurance amidst regional uncertainty: Gaza war, Iran’s growing influence, and instability in Yemen.
- Seeks to build redundancy as U.S. reliability is questioned.
- Riyadh views Pakistan’s military manpower as a cheaper, politically acceptable option compared to reliance on Western troops.
5. Why the SDA is a Weak Insurance
- It is essentially symbolic – Pakistan cannot substitute U.S. security guarantees.
- Military deployment remains conditional, limited, and subject to Islamabad’s domestic compulsions.
- Risks exposing Riyadh’s vulnerabilities rather than addressing them, as adversaries may test the pact’s limits.
Policy Gaps Identified
| Area | Gap |
|---|---|
| Saudi Defence | Reliance on external manpower without sustainable indigenous buildup. |
| Pakistan’s Role | Internal instability, economic fragility, limited capacity for extended deployment. |
| Regional Stability | Pact risks fueling sectarian conflicts instead of mitigating them. |
| U.S.-Saudi Ties | Overdependence on Pakistan cannot replace U.S. security guarantees. |
Suggestions for the Way Forward
- Diversified Security Strategy – Riyadh should avoid overdependence on Pakistan and instead focus on indigenous defence buildup.
- Diplomatic Balancing – Engage with Iran and regional actors through dialogue rather than military deterrence.
- Economic-Security Linkages – Invest in long-term stability (jobs, reforms) to reduce overreliance on imported defence guarantees.
- For India – Maintain strategic autonomy, avoid entanglement, but leverage Riyadh’s vulnerabilities to strengthen energy and economic cooperation.
Ethical and Strategic Dimensions
- The pact reflects the politics of expediency rather than genuine security building.
- It externalizes Riyadh’s insecurities onto Pakistan, which itself is unstable.
- Long-term stability in West Asia requires inclusive diplomacy, not transactional military insurance.
Conclusion
The Saudi-Pakistan pact appears more like a short-term, dodgy insurance than a credible strategic framework. It may reassure Riyadh temporarily but risks dragging Pakistan deeper into conflicts while failing to deter adversaries like Iran.
For India, the development underscores the need to watch West Asia carefully, maintain balanced ties with all major actors, and prepare for energy-security disruptions that may arise from renewed turbulence in the region.