Pakistan Deploys Forces In Saudi Arabia Under Mutual Defence Agreement. Why Is It Significant?

Last Updated:April 11, 2026, 17:52 IST

The defence pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia commits the countries to treating any act of aggression against them individually as an action against both.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence on Saturday announced the arrival of Pakistani forces at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector, under the Joint Strategic Defence Agreement signed between the two countries last year.

Riyadh said the Pakistani forces had arrived at King Abdulaziz Air Base, which came under repeated drone and missile attacks during the recent Iran conflict. The deployment is intended to strengthen joint military coordination and “support security and stability at both regional and international levels."

There has been no official comment from Pakistan. The defence pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was signed in September last year, which commits the countries to treating any act of aggression against them individually as an action against both.

However, there have been signs of strain in the defence agreement, most recently with Pakistan’s cautious stance when key Saudi assets were targeted by Iran during the recent war. Riyadh also did not come to Pakistan’s aid as Islamabad launched a fierce attack on its neighbour, Afghanistan.

ALSO READ: Pakistan Says It Could Be Drawn Into West Asia Conflict Under Saudi Defence Pact

Pakistan is hosting key talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad in hopes of ending the war in West Asia that has roiled global markets, driven up energy prices and disrupted international travel. Several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, have come under retaliatory Iranian attack.

Why Has Pakistan Sent Forces To Saudi Arabia?

The Pakistani force consists of fighter and support aircraft belonging to the Pakistani Air Force, with the aim of enhancing joint military coordination, raising the level of operational readiness between the armed forces of the two countries, as per the Saudi Defence Ministry.

Top intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that the deployment of Pakistani forces and aircraft under the Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement was aimed at the diversification of Islamabad’s military engagements beyond the Indian border, potentially freeing up Pakistani Air Force assets for rotations while gaining financial and logistical backing from Riyadh.

Pakistan’s pledge to protect Saudi Arabia by all means has raised concerns about quid-pro-quo arrangements, including possible Saudi funding for Pakistani troops.

This came as Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, made a brief visit to Islamabad as a show of “economic support", offering Pakistan firm assurances of full financial backing. Islamabad has been actively seeking assistance from Riyadh to deal with a massive debt crunch, including a request for a $5 billion loan, as well as a five-year extension of its existing oil financing facility.

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