Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a mutual defense agreement, under which any aggression against one state will be considered an attack on both. The language of the pact indicates that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are aiming to elevate bilateral military cooperation to a whole new level. Pakistan has historically deployed soldiers to Saudi Arabia for training, advisory, and defensive missions, including border protection. Arguably, signing a strategic defense deal with Pakistan offers Saudi Arabia a hedge against some of these threats. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif mentioned that the possibility of other Arab nations joining the mutual defense deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia cannot be ruled out.