India, July 24 -- By diluting non-proliferation checks while signing a deal with Saudi Arabia, the US may have opened the door to nuclear competition in the Gulf

On July 22, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed a Section 123 agreement and an accompanying safeguards pact, formalising the framework agreed during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's November 2025 White House visit. The 30-year deal gives American firms, led by Westinghouse, the lead role in building Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear sector and commits both sides to a two-year study on whether domestic enrichment is commercially viable. Any resulting facility would reportedly be built by US companies under a tightly guarde...