By seo jun
Updated: September 19, 2025
In a big move that has the world talking, Pakistan has said it will share its nuclear power with Saudi Arabia if needed. This comes from a new defense agreement signed between the two close friends. The deal was made on September 17, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. It means that if one country is attacked, the other will help fight back.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 17, 2025 for the defence pact. | Photo Credit: Reuters
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif spoke about this on Geo TV late on September 18. He said the nuclear program, built long ago with tests in 1998, will be open to Saudi Arabia under the pact. “What we have, and the skills we possess, will be made available to them according to this agreement,” Asif explained. He added that Pakistan has trained forces ready for any fight.
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This is the first time Pakistan has openly said it would put Saudi Arabia under its “nuclear umbrella.” That term means protection from nuclear weapons, like a shield against big attacks. Experts think this is a warning to Israel, which many believe is the only country in the Middle East with nuclear arms. Israel has not said if it has them, but reports from groups like the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists say it does.
The timing of the deal is no accident. Just last week, on September 9, Israel attacked Qatar. The strike hit leaders of Hamas, a group fighting Israel. Six people died in Doha, Qatar’s capital. This scared Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, which sits next to Qatar. The Israel-Hamas war has already hurt Gaza badly, killing many and making life hard there. Now, Arab nations worry Israel might strike them next.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the pact at a fancy palace in Riyadh. They hugged for photos, showing their strong bond. The agreement says an attack on one is an attack on both. It builds on years of military teamwork. Pakistan has sent troops to train Saudi forces, and Saudi money helped Pakistan during tough times with U.S. sanctions over its nuclear work.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have been allies for decades. Some say Saudi cash kept Pakistan’s nuclear dreams alive when the world tried to stop them. Back in the 1990s, Pakistan tested its first bombs to match India’s. Today, both countries have about 170 nuclear warheads each, says the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. India has 172. Pakistan’s bombs are aimed at India, but this new deal pulls them into Middle East problems.
A top Saudi official told Reuters the pact covers “all military means.” That hints at nuclear help without saying it straight out. But Pakistan has not changed its rules, which say nukes are only for India threats. Still, the words from Asif have sparked big talk.
This deal comes as Gulf countries doubt U.S. protection. The U.S. has been a friend to Saudi Arabia for years, selling arms and promising help. But after the Qatar attack on a U.S. ally, trust is low. President Biden’s team hit Pakistan with sanctions seven times from 2021 to 2025 over missiles that could carry nukes far away. Now, with a new U.S. leader, things might shift, but Saudi leaders want other options.
Experts call this a “watershed” moment, meaning a big change. It mixes Saudi money with Pakistan’s strong army, which has over a million troops. Pakistan’s pilots did well against India in a short fight in May 2025. If Israel hit Riyadh like it did Doha, it could mean war with Pakistan’s long-range missiles that reach Israel.
One analyst, Juan Cole from the University of Michigan, wrote that this could lead to a “mutual assured destruction” like the Cold War between the U.S. and Soviet Union. That means no one wins a nuclear fight. Israel has 500,000 troops, but Pakistan has more. Plus, if the Gulf boycotts oil to India, which gets 650,000 barrels a day from Saudi, it hurts New Delhi bad. India and Israel are friends, but oil money talks loud.
India is watching close. Its Foreign Ministry said it will study the pact for risks to its safety and world peace. India has good ties with Saudi too, buying lots of oil. But Pakistan and India are rivals, and this deal might make things tenser. New Delhi called Pakistan’s nukes a “stock-in-trade” threat before.
On X, formerly Twitter, people are buzzing. One user said it ends Israel’s “game” in Gaza if Iran joins. Another joked Pakistan can’t even protect itself from India but offers an umbrella. A post shared an AP alert: “Pakistan says its nuclear program ‘will be made available’ to Saudi Arabia.” Experts like Ian Bremmer from Eurasia Group called it an “open secret” that Saudi sees Pakistan’s nukes as its backup.
This pact is part of a “third nuclear age,” where more countries share atomic power. It started with Pakistan’s program, funded in part by Saudi help during sanctions. Now, as Iran pushes its own nukes, Saudi wants sure safety.
Neither side answered questions on nuclear details. But the message is clear: Saudi and Pakistan stand together. This could calm Gulf fears or spark a new arms race. For now, it shakes up the Middle East, pulling South Asia in deeper.
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