A large military contingent from Pakistan, including nearly 13,000 troops and between 10 and 18 fighter jets, has arrived in Saudi Arabia under a joint strategic defence pact signed between the two nations last year. The deployment was officially announced on Saturday (April 11, 2026) by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Defence.
According to the ministry, the contingent has been stationed at King Abdulaziz Air Base and includes fighter jets along with support aircraft from the Pakistan Air Force. The move is intended to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries, enhance combat readiness, and improve coordination between their armed forces. Officials said the deployment also aims to reinforce regional and global security and stability.
A senior government official from Pakistan confirmed that the troops and aircraft were sent under the bilateral strategic defence agreement, which states that any attack on one country would be treated as an attack on the other. This provision highlights the depth of military cooperation between the two allies.
International affairs expert Mohammad Mehdi told Press Trust of India that the movement of Pakistani troops and aircraft had actually taken place last month, although the information was made public only recently by Saudi authorities. He added that nearly 10,000 Pakistani soldiers were already stationed in Saudi Arabia before this latest deployment, bringing the total number of personnel under the defence arrangement to a significantly higher level.
