From Dialogue To Deterrence: The Growing Strategic Weight Of India-Saudi Arabia Counter-Terror Ties
Deepening India–Saudi security ties reflect a growing convergence against terrorism, signalling a more coordinated regional and global counter-terrorism approach.
Published : January 28, 2026 at 9:19 PM IST
New Delhi: As terrorist networks grow more transnational and adaptive, India and Saudi Arabia are strengthening security coordination to counter threats that extend far beyond their borders. The third meeting of their Security Working Group under the Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee of Strategic Partnership Council reflected how the partnership is evolving from bilateral engagement into a broader collaboration aimed at addressing terrorism at regional and global levels.
“Both sides reiterated their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross border terrorism and the dastardly terrorist attack on innocent civilians on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the terror incident on November 10, 2025, near Red Fort, New Delhi,” a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs following the meeting held in Riyadh on Wednesday reads.
“The two sides comprehensively reviewed the ongoing security cooperation,” it furthers states. “They discussed threats posed by terrorist groups globally and in their respective regions. Both sides shared views on enhancing cooperation in current and emerging challenges to counter-terrorism including countering extremism and radicalisation, combating financing of terrorism, preventing use of technology for terrorist purposes, nexus between transnational organised crime and terrorism. They also deliberated upon measures to further strengthen bilateral legal and judicial cooperation and law enforcement cooperation.”
During the meeting, the Indian side was led by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs while the Saudi delegation was headed by Ahmed Al-Eissa, Director General of Legal Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
India–Saudi Arabia security cooperation has emerged as a key pillar of their broader Strategic Partnership, carrying significance well beyond bilateral ties and increasingly shaping regional and global security dynamics. Wednesday’s meeting reflects the maturing and institutionalised nature of this engagement.
The joint reiteration condemning terrorism in all its forms - including cross-border terrorism – and specific references to attacks in Pahalgam and near the Red Fort underscore a growing convergence in threat perception. For India, Saudi Arabia’s unequivocal stance is politically and diplomatically important, as it reinforces international consensus against terrorism emanating from state and non-state actors. For Saudi Arabia, cooperation with India strengthens its own counter-terrorism framework, given India’s long experience in dealing with diverse terror networks.
This shared position also signals a broader message to the international community: that major powers from South Asia and the Gulf are aligned in rejecting selective or ambiguous approaches to terrorism.
India and Saudi Arabia sit at the crossroads of two volatile regions - South Asia and West Asia - while also sharing stakes in the security of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Their security cooperation contributes to regional stability in multiple ways.
Regular exchanges help track extremist financing, radicalisation networks, and cross-border terror linkages that often span continents. Then again, with vital sea lanes linking the Gulf to the Indo-Pacific, cooperation supports freedom of navigation, protection of energy supplies, and counter-piracy efforts. Also, instability in West Asia often has ripple effects on South Asia through terrorism, migration, and energy security. Coordinated approaches help manage these spillovers.
At the global level, India–Saudi security cooperation reflects the emergence of multipolar security partnerships that are not tied to traditional alliance blocs. Saudi Arabia’s outreach to India complements its diversification of strategic partnerships beyond the West, while India’s engagement with Riyadh aligns with its “extended neighbourhood” approach to the Gulf.
According to Muddassir Quamar, Associate Professor at the Centre of West Asian Studies in the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, when it comes to Saudi Arabia, India already has a Strategic Partnership in place.
“It is not surprising that they are continuing this security cooperation,” Quamar told ETV Bharat. “When it comes to terrorism, India and Saudi Arabia are on the same page.” When asked what Wednesday’s meeting and the subsequent statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry in the context of the defence pact that was signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia recently, he said ties between Islamabad and Riyadh stand on their own.
“India has long de-hyphenated Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” Quamar said. “So, geopolitically we are not looking at a defence alliance that targets India.” According to Robinder Sachdev, strategic affairs expert and president of the New Delhi-based Imagindia think tank, Wednesday’s meeting is part of the ongoing dialogue between the two sides targeting terrorism, including cross-border terrorism.
“The Saudis also know that they have radical elements within their country who promote radical thoughts and radical networks,” Sachdev said. “They themselves have been going very actively in rooting out such networks.”
He said that this has become even more important as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is introducing bold reforms and working on modernisation of the Gulf kingdom. But the fundamentalists may obstruct such reforms.
“Therefore, it is in their interest to work jointly with India,” Sachdev said. “Indian intelligence agencies can share information on terror financing with the Saudis. This could be beneficial for both sides.” To sum up, India–Saudi Arabia security cooperation is no longer limited to episodic coordination; it has become a strategic asset influencing regional stability and global counter-terrorism efforts. By aligning on terrorism, enhancing intelligence and security collaboration, and contributing to maritime and regional security, New Delhi and Riyadh are positioning their partnership as a stabilising force across South Asia, West Asia, and the wider Indo-Pacific.
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