• Source:JND
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Congress on Thursday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a "strategic mutual defence" agreement. This collective security arrangement declares that any attack on either country will be considered "an aggression against both."

Congress's General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh, called it yet another "setback for the much-hyped personalised diplomacy" of PM Modi.

What did Jairam Ramesh say?

In a long post on X, Ramesh said, "One month after abruptly halting Operation Sindoor, President Trump hosted Field Marshal Asim Munir for lunch at the House—the same individual whose inflammatory, provocative, communally toxic statements provided oxygen to the brutal terrorist attacks in Pahalgam in April 2025."

"Just days after our Prime Minister’s much-publicized visit to China, President Xi Jinping opened the doors of China’s secret military complex to Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari", he added.

Ramesh said, "Now, Saudi Arabia—where the Prime Minister was present during the Pahalgam terrorist attacks on April 22, 2025—has signed a “strategic mutual defense” agreement with Pakistan."

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Raising questions over the foreign policy, Ramesh said, "All of this is undoubtedly a matter of grave concern for India’s national security. The Indian National Congress expresses deep concern over this and considers it another blow to our Prime Minister’s much-hyped personality-driven diplomacy."

Saudi-Pak agreement

The agreement was signed during a state visit by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday to Riyadh at the invitation of Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

According to a joint statement issued following the visit, "building on the historic partnership extending for nearly eight decades between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and based on the bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity, as well as shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation between the two countries, HRH the Crown Prince and the Pakistani prime minister signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement."

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How did India react?

Hours later, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded to the media queries about the pact, saying that it will study the implications of the agreement and the Government of India is committed to protecting India's national interest.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "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 formalizes 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," added the statement.