Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye sign key defence pact:Agreement treats attack on one as attack on all amid West Asia tensions

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have signed a landmark defence agreement aimed at deepening military cooperation and strengthening collective deterrence, as conflict and security tensions continue to intensify across West Asia. The “Mecca Joint Defence Agreement” was signed on Friday during a meeting in Saudi Arabia between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to the summit statement, the pact provides that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack against all three. It also commits the countries to expanding cooperation across multiple areas of defence. “The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all. It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three States,” the statement said. Pact comes amid mounting regional security threats The agreement comes against the backdrop of escalating conflict in West Asia and growing security concerns across the region. Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, with key infrastructure and petroleum assets targeted in successive drone and missile operations. The attacks have been attributed to Iran and regional groups aligned with Tehran, including the Houthis and Iraqi militia groups. The kingdom has consequently been seeking to broaden its security partnerships as threats to its territory and critical infrastructure increase. The agreement also comes amid growing friction between Türkiye and Israel over the war in Gaza and wider regional hostilities, including conflicts involving Iran and Lebanon. Growing talk of an ‘Islamic NATO’ The three-way defence agreement follows months of speculation about the emergence of a broader regional security alliance, sometimes described as an “Islamic NATO”. Reuters had previously reported, citing two regional sources with direct knowledge of the matter, that the three Muslim-majority countries were preparing to formalise deeper defence integration. The latest pact expands on an existing bilateral security arrangement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Builds on Pakistan-Saudi defence agreement Last year, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh, where he held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. That agreement similarly stated that aggression against either country would be considered an attack on both. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had already suggested that the Islamabad-Riyadh security partnership could eventually expand to include other countries such as Türkiye and Qatar. “And if this already existing pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, if Qatar and Turkiye also join it, then it will be welcoming that such an economic and defence arrangement among countries comes to our region here so that dependence on outside the region is minimised,” Asif said. He stressed that the proposed arrangement was not directed against any country but argued that strengthening regional cooperation was important to maintaining peace. India closely monitoring strategic implications The emerging security partnership is also being closely watched by India, particularly given the strategic relationship between New Delhi and Riyadh and Pakistan’s involvement in the new arrangement. After Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed their initial bilateral defence agreement last year, India said it was assessing the potential implications for its national security and wider regional stability. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had taken note of the formalisation of what he described as a “long-standing arrangement” between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. “We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability. The Government remains committed to protecting India’s national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains,” Jaiswal said. ​