In November 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to give a total loan of $ 6.2 billion and oil credits ($ 3.2 billion) to Pakistan. But the matter between the two countries deteriorated on the issue of Kashmir.
This agreement will come into force from July this year.
India removed Article 370 of the Constitution related to Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. Pakistan wanted it to get international support on the issue of Kashmir and for this it put pressure on Saudi.
The talks between the two countries started deteriorating from here. In August 2020, Saudi Arabia not only asked Pakistan to return a fixed amount of the loan, but also canceled the oil credit given to it.
Now about one and a half years later, both the countries have agreed to join hands once again.
What is the reason ?
There is a discussion in some circles that Saudi Arabia wants to challenge Iran’s dominance by joining hands again with Pakistan.
But experts believe that the decision of both the countries to come closer once again should be seen in view of the changing geopolitical situation of the present time.
Relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have historically been good. The relationship goes back decades, both have agreements on security matters and have been together during the Cold War.
Talmiz Ahmed, India’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, says that the two have had a defense relationship since the 1950s, which has not weakened. Being an old relationship, it is natural for the two to have slight differences at times, but their basic relationship never breaks.
He says that India has strategically important relations with Saudi Arabia compared to Pakistan, but these relations are not very old. The priority in the relationship between the two is investment and security and Saudi will not compromise on this either.
This is the reason that while on one hand it is also improving relations with Pakistan, on the other hand it is also trying to improve relations with India.
Professor AK Pasha, an expert on West Asia and Middle East affairs at Jawaharlal Nehru University, says that the main reason behind this is the recent changes.
He explains, “After the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and the departure of Donald Trump, there has been a lot of change in the domestic politics of Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had received help from America during Trump’s reign, but after Biden’s arrival. There has been a 180-degree change in US foreign policy for Saudi Arabia and Iran.”
“On the other hand, Saudi Arabia hoped that its relations with Israel would improve in defense matters, but it did not happen. In such a situation, Pakistan naturally became important for it. Anyway, Pakistan helps Saudi by sending troops if needed. He has been doing this and he has already been seeing Pakistan as a big helper.”
Also Read: PURNIMA IN JUNE 2021
 to Pakistan.){kind=link}