New Delhi: An American security analyst has warned that the new nuclear security arrangement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia reflects a shift in regional alignments that reduces India’s influence in the Middle East. The deal was signed eight days after the Israeli attack on Qatar. It states that an attack on either Pakistan or Saudi Arabia will be treated as an attack on both. The United States described the pact as an act of self defence.
Analyst Jean Loup Samaan linked the agreement directly to the Israeli strike in Qatar. He wrote that Qatar already had a security guarantee from the United States, yet the attack created a sense of insecurity across the region. He said this pushed Saudi Arabia to deepen its partnership with Pakistan. He argued that the pact follows decades of military cooperation between the two nations. Pakistani troops have trained Saudi forces since 1963 and have guarded key cities including Mecca and Medina.
Samaan wrote that the pact weakens India’s efforts to gain space in the Middle East. Nearly 9.7 million Indians live in the region and sent home 24 billion dollars in 2024. He said India tried to present itself as a strategic partner after 2014. It improved ties with the UAE and hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He noted that India attempted to build an economic corridor with support from the United States, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The Gaza war stalled this plan.
He said Middle Eastern states view India as an Asian economic power, while they view China as a global power. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and China have bought drones and missiles from China. The presence of the Chinese Navy in Oman adds to India’s concerns. He wrote that Pakistan’s close ties with China strengthen its role in the region at India’s expense.
