Saudi Arabia under Pakistan nuclear umbrella

RIYADH (AFP) — Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella will cover Saudi Arabia, a source close to the kingdom’s government told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday, days after the two allies signed a surprise mutual defense treaty. 

The source told AFP that the deal had been in the works for years and that Saudi Arabia expected Pakistan’s arch-rival India to understand the kingdom’s security needs. 

When asked if the deal meant Pakistan’s nuclear weapons could be used to defend Saudi Arabia, Ali Shihabi, an analyst close to the royal court, told AFP: “Yes, it does.”

“Nuclear is integral to this deal and Pakistan remembers that the kingdom effectively financed their nuclear program and supported them when they were sanctioned,” he added. 

Saudi Arabia has long been a bulwark of economic support for Pakistan’s faltering economy, with over 2.5 million of its nationals estimated to be living and working in the kingdom.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif reportedly also told a local broadcaster that the country’s nuclear program would be made available to Saudi Arabia if needed, following the signing of the agreement.

Shihabi said, “India will understand the security needs of Saudi Arabia. Saudi maintains excellent ties with India.”

The kingdom has been a key supplier of oil to India, the world’s most populous country, for years.

India’s rapidly developing economy relies heavily on petroleum imports, with Saudi Arabia ranked as its third-largest supplier according to the Indian foreign ministry.