New Delhi, Aug 11 — The commitment of the leaderships of India and Saudi Arabia and strategic hedging indicates that the Mecca Defence Pact signed between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey will not destabilise ties between Riyadh and New Delhi, a report has detailed.
The ties between India and Saudi Arabia are multidimensional and have faced complex challenges and tectonic shifts amidst contemporary geopolitical developments. The defence pact signed between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan in Mecca on August 7 is an example of this fast-changing geopolitical development. The "Mecca Declaration" envisaged a deterrence mechanism stating that an attack on one of them would be considered as an attack on all three nations, a report in the Centre for Peace Studies (CPS) detailed.
The trilateral defence pact is unlikely to have any impact on India-Saudi Arabia partnership as both the nations have made investments in various sectors, including commerce, trade and energy. The two nations have followed independent economic and strategic trajectories for mutual gain while prioritising strategic autonomy and hedging in its foreign policy.
According to the report, the national interests of India and Saudi Arabia are closely interlocked and that no strategic partnership Saudi Arabia maintains with other Islamic nations is likely to disrupt their ties. According to the report in the Centre for Peace Studies (CPS), diplomatic ties between India and Saudi Arabia were established in 1947 and high-level visits between the two sides have been regular and steady.
In April 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia during which several new initiatives were announced, including the development of two oil refineries in India, collaborations in health, space, sports, postal and telecommunication, medical tourism, civil aviation, strategic petroleum reserves, small and medium scale industries and skills development.
The ties between India and Saudi Arabia have been growing in a robust manner. Various high-level talks from both sides, including visits by PM Modi and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have led to a strong foundation for a constructive, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship.
"In view of the above, while the Mecca Declaration has understandably heightened anxieties among Indian strategic analysts regarding Saudi Arabia's strategic commitments to Pakistan in the event of any future India-Pakistan conflict, the depth and multifaceted nature of Indo-Saudi relations provide sufficient reassurance that such partnerships will not fundamentally alter bilateral ties. Over decades, India and Saudi Arabia have assiduously constructed an intricate web of economic interdependencies, defence collaborations, and cultural bonds that transcend geopolitical fluctuations," former Professor and Director of Research at Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University, Mohammed Badru Alam, wrote in an article for the Centre for Peace Studies (CPS).
"With bilateral trade exceeding USD 41.88 billion, Saudi crude constituting 15 per cent of India's oil imports, and over USD 10 billion in Saudi investments already committed, both nations have vested interests in preserving strategic autonomy while maintaining mutual prosperity. The historic Haj pilgrimage, the thriving three-million-strong Indian diaspora, and expanding defence partnerships underscore a resilience that political concerns alone cannot erode. The commitment of Indian and Saudi leaderships to independent foreign policy trajectories and strategic hedging suggests that the Mecca Declaration, while diplomatically significant, need not destabilise a relationship fortified by shared economic interests and far-reaching strategic calculations," Alam added.
On March 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed the conflict in West Asia. He also thanked him for his support for the welfare of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia.
Following their talks, PM Modi in a post on X wrote, "Spoke with Crown Prince and PM of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed the ongoing conflict in West Asia. I reiterated India’s condemnation of attacks on regional energy infrastructure."
"We agreed on the need to ensure freedom of navigation and keeping shipping lines open and secure. Thanked him for his continued support for the welfare of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia," he added.