'That’s Going To Change Life For India': Geopolitical Analyst Ian Bremmer On Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Defence Pact

New Delhi: Saudi Arabia signed a strategic mutual defence agreement with Pakistan on Wednesday. As per the defence pact, any aggression against either nation would be treated as an attack on both. In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, geopolitical analyst and President of Eurasia Group ,Ian Bremmer, said that the pact will not only strengthen Pakistan's defences, but also force India to change its strategy.

Bremmer said that there was a chance that there could be another military altercation between India and Pakistan, but with this new pact, Riyadh would come in support of Islamabad. "If I’m India that has to factor into my calculations. That’s going to change life for India, no question," he added.

The Eurasia Group's president further noted that the agreement added a new layer of confidence for Pakistan apart from cementing strong ties between the two Islamic nations. He also said that China would remain their principal ally as most of their military support comes from Beijing.

Bremmer highlighted that apart from China, Pakistan is also fining other partners. He stated that US President Donald Trump's crypto investments in Pakistan are making Islamabad more confident and stronger.

Bremmer underlined Saudi Arabia's support for Pakistan's nuclear programme. "Yes, it is true that Saudi Arabia has been helping to fund Pakistan and their plutonium program for many, many years. And it had been an open secret that Saudi Arabia in an event of crisis considered Pakistan’s nuclear program to be Saudi Arabia’s emergency nuclear program if they ever needed it.," he told India Today TV.

For the unversed, the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement was signed in Riyadh during Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit.

India's Response To The Pact:

In response to the Pakistan-Saudi pact, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday issued a statement, saying, "We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual Defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The Government was aware that this development, which formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration."

"We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability. The Government remains committed to protecting India's national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains," it added.

During its weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said, "India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership which has deepened considerably in the last several years. We expect that this strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities."

Notably, Pakistan is the only Islamic country to have nuclear weapons. According to reports, after this agreement, Saudi Arabia can have access to Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

Published on: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 10:09 AM IST