Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan Sign Joint Defense Pact in Mecca

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a joint defense accord on Friday in Mecca, committing to mutual defense against any armed attack.

The agreement explicitly states that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all. This pact claims to promote collective security and peace, security, and stability in the region, pledging closer military cooperation. The signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement occurred amid a regional war between the United States and Iran, alongside Houthi attacks from Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has recently experienced drone and missile strikes, which it attributes to Iran’s allies in Yemen and Iraq. The pact combines Saudi financial power, Turkey's defense industry, and Pakistan's military strength, aiming to address growing security concerns in the Middle East. Pakistan's foreign ministry states the pact is guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is closely following the pact. The MEA also rejected a Turkish media report, which cited unnamed Pakistani sources, claiming India sought a defense pact with Israel to counter the new alliance. The agreement was signed following a joint defense summit attended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Prime Minister Sharif attended after performing the Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca. The alliance brings together Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army, Pakistan, described as the Muslim world's only nuclear power, and Saudi Arabia, identified as the guardian of Islam's holiest sites. The pact signals a shift towards the development of a new regional security architecture.