Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to establish political and military mechanisms under defence pact

Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan have signed a joint defense agreement in Makkah, outlining political and military coordination mechanisms, according to Turkey's Defence Ministry. This pact, signed on August 7, aims to enhance defense and security policies among the three Sunni Muslim US allies, who are viewed as key partners in the region.

The agreement stipulates that an armed attack against any member will be treated as an attack on all, mirroring NATO's Article 5 collective defense clause. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement will establish a framework for the defense and foreign ministers, as well as military chiefs, to meet and coordinate at the highest levels.

Initially, joint military exercises will focus on command-post and field drills, progressively encompassing land, sea, air, air defense, and unmanned systems. The pact seeks to bolster the countries' joint response capabilities to potential crises and advance their operational capabilities, including joint development, production, technology cooperation, and long-term maintenance and logistics support.

The agreement is defensive in nature, not designating any country as a common adversary, and aims to complement NATO's international security architecture by contributing to regional security and stability. Turkey, with the second-largest army in NATO, had previously indicated that the pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan and leading oil exporter Saudi Arabia could be expanded to include Egypt as a potential member.

The agreement was signed as the Middle East continues to grapple with the ongoing Iran war, which has seen Iranian missile strikes against Gulf states and security concerns among regional powers. Saudi Arabia has faced attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels and Iran-backed militias in Iraq, while Pakistan has been mediating between the US and Iran to reach a comprehensive peace agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though progress in diplomacy has been limited.