Former Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal called the pact a "grave misstep" by Saudi Arabia, warning that this could have serious implications for India's national security. Saudi Arabia knows this will be construed in India as a threat to India's security," Mr Sibal posted on X. India also hoped that the strategic partnership between India and Saudi Arabia would "keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities". Saudi Arabia, with its own extensive ties to India, is "not about to engage in hostile retaliatory acts against India", he said. Reuters India PM Narendra Modi and Mohammed bin Salman in April - India and Saudi Arabia have built deep ties"This pact is simply the formalisation of a long-standing Saudi-Pakistan understanding that goes back to the 1960s," says Md.