NEW DELHI: Terming the defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as another ‘setback for the much-hyped personalised diplomacy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Thursday expressed concern that the tie-up will have grave implications for India’s national security.
In a post on X, Congress MP and general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said, “A month after Operation Sindoor was ‘abruptly’ stopped, US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir for lunch at the White House — the same person whose incendiary and inflammatory statements directly led to the Pahalgam terror attacks of April 2025.”
“Just a few days after our Prime Minister’s much-touted visit to China, President Xi threw open China’s secret military complex to Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari. Now, Saudi Arabia, where the PM was when the Pahalgam terror attacks took place, has signed a ‘strategic mutual defence’ pact with Pakistan,” he added.
This has serious consequences for India’s national security. The Indian National Congress expresses concern over yet another failure of the Prime Minister’s much-publicised personalised diplomacy, the senior Congress leader said. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a “strategic mutual defence” agreement, which declares that any attack on either country will be considered “an aggression against both”.
The agreement was signed by Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday, during the Pakistani leader’s day-long visit to the Gulf kingdom, according to a joint statement.
‘Serious consequences’
This has serious consequences for India’s national security. Congress expresses concern over yet another failure of the Prime Minister’s much-publicised personalised diplomacy, Jairam Ramesh said in a post.