New Delhi: In a carefully orchestrated diplomatic move, Saudi Arabia dispatched its top military officer to India while a high-ranking, but junior, counterpart visited Pakistan this week. This simultaneous engagement highlights the Kingdom's complex balancing act in maintaining ties with both South Asian nations amidst evolving geopolitical dynamics.
General Fayyad Bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff (COGS) of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces, arrived in New Delhi for a series of high-level meetings with Indian military leaders. He met with Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday to discuss bilateral defense cooperation, including joint military exercises and enhanced information sharing. Discussions also touched on a potential Military Logistics Support Agreement, signaling a deepening strategic partnership. Al-Ruwaili, the seniormost officer in the Saudi Armed Forces since 2018, was also given a Guard of Honour. Officials stated that the interaction highlighted the strong historical and cultural connections between the two countries, reaffirming milestones such as the establishment of the Strategic Partnership Council and the Defence Cooperation Committee. Earlier in August, the 7th meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation took place in New Delhi, where discussions included training cooperation, industrial partnerships, maritime cooperation, and joint military exercises. Opportunities for joint manufacturing and partnership in defense equipment were also explored.
Concurrently, Lieutenant General Fahad Bin Saud Al-Johani, Commander Royal Saudi Land Forces, was in Pakistan, meeting with top military and political leaders. While details of Al-Johani's discussions in Pakistan were not as readily available, the visit underscores Saudi Arabia's continued commitment to its long-standing relationship with Pakistan's military.
This diplomatic choreography comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly following the recent India-Pakistan conflict and India's Operation Sindoor. In September 2025, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA), stipulating that any attack against either country would be considered an attack against both. This agreement has raised concerns in India, despite New Delhi downplaying its significance and conveying its interests and concerns to Riyadh.
Analysts suggest that the SMDA, while not a new phenomenon, introduces a degree of uncertainty for India, especially given the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan in 2025. The pact has been viewed by some as a continuation of previous alliances between Riyadh and Islamabad, while others believe it could potentially affect India's relations with Saudi Arabia. Some analysts suggest the pact is a hedging strategy for Riyadh amidst geopolitical shifts in the Middle East.
Despite the defense agreement with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia has also been making efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan. In May 2025, a Saudi minister visited both countries as part of the Kingdom's efforts to promote the resolution of disputes through dialogue.
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 guides Riyadh to adopt pragmatic diplomatic moves to balance complex relationships, including those between India and Pakistan. The concurrent visits of Saudi military leaders to India and Pakistan exemplify this approach, demonstrating the Kingdom's desire to maintain strong ties with both nations while navigating a complex regional landscape.
