Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Begin First Defence Pact Meeting in Istanbul

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have begun their first high-level meeting under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Istanbul, opening a new phase of structured defence cooperation among the three countries.

The Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting, taking place on August 31, brings together senior foreign and defence officials as well as military chiefs from the participating states. The session follows the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Saudi Arabia on August 7, which established a formal framework for closer coordination on defence and security matters.

A central element of the agreement is its collective-defence commitment. The pact states that an armed attack against one of the three countries would be considered an attack against all members. This provision has drawn comparisons with the collective-defence principle contained in Article 5 of the NATO treaty, although the new arrangement has its own regional and political framework.

The Istanbul discussions are expected to focus on international and regional security developments, strengthening military capabilities and improving interoperability between the three armed forces. Defence-industrial cooperation is also expected to receive attention, particularly opportunities involving joint production, technology cooperation and the development of defence capabilities.

Pakistan is represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Muhammad Asif and Army Chief General Asim Munir. Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have also sent senior political and military officials, highlighting the importance attached to the first committee session under the new agreement.

The agreement comes at a time of heightened regional security concerns, increasing the importance of closer coordination among the three countries. Türkiye and Saudi Arabia bring significant military and economic capabilities to the partnership, while Pakistan contributes extensive military experience and a nuclear-capable armed force.

Türkiye has previously indicated that the defence framework could be expanded in the future. Egypt has been mentioned as a possible additional participant, suggesting that the initiative could eventually develop into a broader regional security arrangement. At the same time, Türkiye has maintained that the agreement is not intended to replace its existing alliances.

The first committee meeting is therefore an important test of how the Makkah agreement will translate from a political commitment into practical defence cooperation. Its discussions could set the direction for future military coordination, defence technology partnerships and joint security initiatives between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.