Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan forge Mecca defence pact to counter regional threats

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, pledging to treat an attack on any member as an attack on all.

On Friday, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a treaty that obliges each signatory to treat an armed assault on any of the three as an attack on the whole bloc. The pact arrives as the trio confronts heightened regional frictions, notably Israel’s growing military reach and Iran’s sway in the Gulf. Combined, they command roughly 1.4 million active soldiers, 3,415 aircraft, more than 6,000 tanks and 344 naval vessels, supported by an annual defence outlay of about $124.4 billion.

Experts say Saudi Arabia contributes capital and strategic geography, Turkey offers a sophisticated defence-industrial base and NATO-derived expertise, while Pakistan provides the largest manpower pool and nuclear deterrence. The agreement also opens Saudi defence markets to Turkish and Pakistani manufacturers and diversifies Saudi security ties beyond the United States. Egypt has been mentioned as a possible future member, but analysts warn it may only join if the pact does not jeopardise its existing alliances. The deal signals a shift toward greater horizontal security cooperation among regional powers.