Notwithstanding Mecca pact, India eclipses Pakistan as key arms supplier to Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has urgently requested an additional 10,000 155mm artillery shells from India to bolster its defenses amid escalating conflicts involving Iran-backed Houthi forces. This emergency procurement highlights a stark geopolitical reality: India is proving to be a more practical defense partner to Riyadh than Pakistan.

Although Islamabad recently formed the trilateral "Mecca Pact" with Saudi Arabia and Turkey for collective defense, analysts note Pakistan remains hesitant to actively engage the Houthis, allegedly treating the alliance merely as a conduit for Saudi financial aid. In contrast, India’s rapid deployment of critical munitions demonstrates concrete support for the Mecca Pact nation, outshining Islamabad's rhetoric and cementing New Delhi’s expanding footprint as a dependable security provider in the Middle East.