SMDA beyond Rhetoric

During the recent months, the Government of Pakistan has taken swift and significant foreign policy steps with an aim to enhance the country's strategic autonomy and diplomatic leverage in an increasingly complex international environment by positioning Pakistan as a key security actor and an emerging middle power on the global stage. One milestone achievement in this domain is the signing of the “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” with Saudi Arabia that is set to transform the decades of symbolic gestures of solidarity between the two countries into institutionalized bilateral security commitments. This agreement, which states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both, reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and achieve security and peace in the region and the world.

The Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, on September 17th, 2025, reverberates across the Middle East and Asia, marking a major shift in global alignments and a significant upgrade in their long-standing bilateral security relationship. Expectedly, the agreement, which states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both, has upset many. Although many consider the agreement a mere formalization of historical Pak-Saudi strategic engagements, the public signing of the agreement has a significant impact, particularly as a tool of communication, which is a key component of effective deterrence in the global security milieu that prevails in today's uncertain world. 

While the agreement is celebrated by most pro-government and even independent quarters in Pakistan, it is also criticized and questioned by sceptics who base their doubts on two premises.