Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 20 September 2025

Content

1. The Saudi-Pakistan pact is a dodgy insurance policy
2. A climate-health vision with lessons from India
3. Shifting sands

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The Saudi-Pakistan pact is a dodgy insurance policy

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Context

• On September 17, 2025, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the SMDA in Riyadh.
• The pact revives defence cooperation and has implications for South West Asia and India’s strategic interests.

Relevance

• GS2 (International Relations): West Asia geopolitics, India–Saudi relations, Pakistan’s regional strategy, U.S. role in Gulf security.
• GS3 (Security): Nuclear proliferation risks (A.Q. Khan precedent) and India’s energy security.

Practice Questions :

• Discuss the opportunities and challenges for India in the context of the Saudi-Pakistan defence pact..(250 Words)

 

Background

• Saudi-Pakistan defence ties date back to 1951; peaked between 1979–1989 with ~20,000 Pakistani troops deployed to protect Saudi Arabia’s Holy Harams and the royal family.
• Differences emerged over time: Saudi leadership viewed Pakistani forces as mercenary; Pakistan resisted excluding Shia troops; Pakistan declined deployments during the Gulf War (1990) and Yemen civil war (2015).
• The United States historically supported Saudi-Pakistan defence ties; Trump administration facilitated the revival of the pact.
• SMDA was signed amid heightened regional tensions: Israel–Iran conflict, Hamas–Israel war, and declining U.S. reliability in protecting GCC states.

Key Features of the SMDA

• Signed between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir attending.
• Provisions likely include limited Pakistani troop presence in Saudi Arabia, training and intelligence cooperation, and a possible nuclear dimension.
• Saudi Arabia is expected to provide financial and oil support to Pakistan.
• Agreement is largely optics-driven: reassures Riyadh while offering Pakistan strategic and economic benefits.

Strategic Calculations

For Saudi Arabia:

• Pros: Provides nuclear deterrent if Iran goes nuclear, offers symbolic ally amid declining U.S. reliability, avoids deploying Arab or Turkish troops due to historical sensitivities.
• Cons: Past frictions with Pakistani forces, risk of Pakistani–Chinese entanglement, restrictions imposed by Israel on nuclear cooperation.

For Pakistan:

• Pros: Gains economic support through Saudi funds and oil, access to advanced defence hardware and training, strategic leverage against India.
• Cons: No Saudi military backing against India, risk of overcommitment or entanglement in regional conflicts with Iran or Yemen.

U.S. and Israel Factor

• The United States facilitated the agreement, particularly through Trump’s engagement with Pakistani leadership.
• Saudi–Israel normalisation stalled due to the 2023 Gaza war.
• Israeli strike on Qatar in September 2025 exposed gaps in U.S. protection, increasing the urgency for Saudi Arabia to secure alternative defence guarantees.
• SMDA is seen as a “consolation prize” for Riyadh after the aborted U.S.–Saudi defence deal.

Implications for India

• Opportunities: India is the third-largest oil importer and second-largest buyer of Saudi crude; strong bilateral defence and intelligence ties; large Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia; planned $100 billion Saudi investment strengthens strategic leverage.
• Risks: Pakistan may leverage the SMDA to manoeuvre against India; potential nuclear or military technology transfer risks.
• Saudi Arabia reportedly took India into confidence during SMDA negotiations, ensuring India remains a trusted partner.

Way Forward for India

• Deepen energy and economic partnerships with Saudi Arabia.
• Strengthen diaspora diplomacy to maintain goodwill.
• Expand defence cooperation through joint exercises and intelligence sharing.
• Remain vigilant against Pakistan’s attempts to exploit Saudi support.
• Pursue multi-vector diplomacy to maintain balanced ties with both Riyadh and Tehran.

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A climate-health vision with lessons from India

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Context

• Event: 2025 Global Conference on Climate and Health held in Belém, Brazil (July 29–31, 2025).
• Delegates: Representatives from 90 countries contributed to shaping the Belém Health Action Plan.
• Purpose: The plan, set to be launched at COP30 (November 2025), will define the global agenda on climate and health.
• India’s Participation: India was not officially represented, missing an opportunity to showcase its developmental experience as a model for integrated climate-health action.

Relevance

• GS2 (Governance & IR): Climate governance, international conferences, India’s developmental diplomacy.
• GS3 (Environment & Health): Climate-health nexus, sustainable development, energy and food systems, air pollution, rural livelihoods.

Practice Question :

• Evaluate the importance of intersectoral coordination and whole-of-society approaches in achieving climate-health outcomes.(250 Words)

Overview from India’s Welfare Programmes

• PM POSHAN:
  • Covers over 11 crore children in nearly 11 lakh schools.
  • Connects health, education, agriculture, and food procurement.
  • Promotes millets and traditional grains → addresses malnutrition and builds climate-resilient food systems.
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan:
  • Tackles sanitation, public health, human dignity, and environmental sustainability simultaneously.
• MNREGA Environmental Works:
  • Improves rural livelihoods and restores degraded ecosystems.
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY):
  • Provides clean cooking fuel, reducing household air pollution and carbon emissions.
• Key Insight: Non-health interventions can generate significant health co-benefits while addressing climate challenges. Intersectoral coordination amplifies impact.

Success Factors in India’s Experience

• Strong Political Leadership:
  • Direct Prime Ministerial involvement in PMUY and Swachh Bharat ensured cross-ministry coordination.
  • Framing climate action as a health emergency increases attention and public support.
• Community Engagement:
  • Swachh Bharat leveraged cultural symbolism (Mahatma Gandhi’s vision).
  • PM POSHAN built grassroots support via parent-teacher associations and school committees.
  • Climate action benefits from linking environmental protection to societal health values.
• Leveraging Existing Institutions:
  • Programs built on accredited health workers, self-help groups, municipal bodies, and panchayats.
  • Embedding climate-health links in existing institutions strengthens implementation.

Challenges

• Siloed Administrative Structures:
  • Divergent responsibilities across sectors can hinder integrated outcomes.
• Affordability & Access Issues:
  • Example: High LPG refill costs under PMUY due to oil marketing business interests.
  • Social and cultural barriers continue to affect utilisation and equitable access.
• Structural Inequities:
  • Climate solutions must address systemic inequities and focus on measuring outcomes, not just outputs.

Framework for Health-Anchored Climate Governance

1. Strategic Prioritisation:
   1. Political leaders should frame climate policies in terms of immediate health benefits.
   1. Example: PMUY positioned clean cooking as women’s empowerment; climate action should similarly link to tangible health outcomes.
2. Procedural Integration:
   1. Embed health impact assessments into all climate-relevant policies (energy, transport, agriculture, urban planning).
   1. Analogous to environmental clearances for major projects.
3. Participatory Implementation:
   1. Use health as a mobilising force at the community level.
   1. Local health workers can act as climate advocates by demonstrating direct health-environment linkages.

Policy Implications

• Integrated Approach: Fighting climate and health separately is costly and less effective.
• Intersectoral Governance: India’s welfare programmes provide a model for coordinated solutions addressing multiple development goals.
• International Leadership: By leveraging its institutional experience, India can emerge as a global exemplar in operationalising the Belém Health Action Plan.
• Whole-of-Society Engagement: Bold, intersectoral strategies combining political leadership, community participation, and institutional capacity are critical for transformative impact.

Shifting sands

Basics of the Saudi-Pakistan Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA)

• Nature of the agreement: Declares that “any aggression against one shall be considered aggression against both,” formalizing a military-security partnership.
• Historical context:
  • Pakistan has long trained Saudi military forces.
  • Saudi Arabia has provided financial support, including assistance linked to Pakistan’s nuclear programme.
• Institutionalization: This is the first formal defense pact between the two nations, moving beyond informal cooperation.

Relevance :

• GS2 (IR): West Asia realignment, Saudi-Pakistan ties, India’s strategic posture.
• GS3 (Security): Military ambiguity, nuclear concerns, energy and regional stability.

Practice Question :

• Examine the significance of the Saudi-Pakistan defence pact in the context of declining U.S. influence in West Asia.(250 Words)

Timing and Regional Context

• Recent events affecting timing:
  • Announced a week after Israel’s bombing in Qatar, highlighting shifting security dynamics in the Persian Gulf.
  • U.S. focus is shifting away from West Asia; traditional security guarantees for Gulf monarchies are less reliable.
  • Reference points: 2019 attacks on Saudi oil installations by Iranian-backed forces with no U.S. response; Israel’s attack on Qatar (hosting U.S.’s largest West Asian base).
• Implication: Saudi Arabia is signaling that it is diversifying its security partnerships beyond the U.S.

Strategic Motivations for Saudi Arabia

• Diversification: Reduces overreliance on the U.S. for security guarantees.
• Signal to Israel and U.S.: Demonstrates independence in decision-making amidst stalled Abraham Accords (Hamas attack of 7 Oct 2023 disrupted normalization with Israel).
• Risk hedging: Saudi Arabia is preparing for a volatile regional security landscape, including tensions with Iran and Israel.

Strategic Motivations for Pakistan

• Financial leverage: Saudi assistance is critical for Pakistan’s economy.
• Security positioning: Presents itself as a regional security contributor at a time when Gulf monarchies are uncertain about Israel’s military actions.
• Potential gains: May strengthen Pakistan’s influence in Gulf politics and security affairs.

Implications for India

• Complication in West Asia policy: India’s pro-Israel tilt could face resistance from Arab monarchies now hedging security bets with Pakistan.
• Strategic caution: India must avoid overcommitting to an isolated Israel; long-term stability requires a balanced approach.
• Security risks:
  • The pact could drag Pakistan into West Asia’s “polycrisis” (multi-front conflicts).
  • Saudi Arabia could be pulled into South/Central Asian tensions, indirectly affecting India.

Nuclear and Military Ambiguities

• Uncertainty: The pact does not clarify whether Saudi Arabia gains access to Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella or the exact terms of mutual military response.
• Entrapment risk: Both nations may face pressures to act beyond their immediate regional interests.

Broader Geopolitical Implications

• U.S.-Saudi relations: Marks subtle distancing from U.S. security dependence.
• Israel-Arab dynamics: Stalls Abraham Accords; Saudi Arabia signals strategic independence.
• West Asia security realignment: Shows a trend of diversified alliances, increasing regional complexity.
• India’s strategic posture: Calls for multi-pillar diplomacy and active engagement in West Asia rather than unilateral alignment.

Strategic Takeaways

• For Saudi Arabia: Security diversification and hedging in an unpredictable Gulf.
• For Pakistan: Financial support and regional security relevance.
• For India: Need to balance West Asia policy between Israel and Gulf monarchies; avoid reactive, short-term alignment.
• For West Asia: Increased uncertainty with multi-directional alliances; risks of regional entanglement are high.

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