Saudi Arabia, Pakistan & Turkey sign 'Mecca' pact for mutual defence; India reacts
The agreement was signed following a joint defence summit attended by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, who attended after performing the Umrah pilgrimage in the city. According to Pakistan's foreign ministry, the pact is "guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states, based on the…
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey recently inked a trilateral defence pact aimed at bolstering their collective security amidst the ongoing Iran conflict and regional instability. The agreement, signed during a joint defence summit attended by the Saudi crown prince, Turkish president, and Pakistani prime minister, emphasizes their shared historical ties, Islamic solidarity, and strategic interests.
The pact stipulates that any armed attack against one of the three states will be treated as an attack on all, reflecting their commitment to mutual deterrence and peace. India, observing the developments closely, commented on the pact but refrained from further comment. The agreement, largely defensive in nature, highlights each country's strategic strengths - Saudi Arabia's vast oil reserves and custodianship of holy sites, Turkey's NATO membership and second-largest military, and Pakistan's nuclear deterrence and defense manufacturing capabilities.
The three nations have long-standing security ties, with Pakistan training Saudi forces and Turkey collaborating on defense equipment and military training. Saudi Arabia also recently signed a major deal to purchase Turkish drones. The pact, however, is unlikely to involve nuclear elements, given Pakistan's focused deterrence strategy.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
