The agreement declares an armed attack on any one of the three countries an attack on all, while expanding cooperation in defence and security.
MAKKAH, Saudi Arabia — WEB DESK: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have signed a trilateral joint defence agreement, formally establishing the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement amid heightened regional security concerns.
The agreement was signed during a trilateral summit in Makkah attended by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the agreement is aimed at strengthening the three countries’ collective defence capabilities, expanding defence cooperation and promoting peace, security and stability in the region and beyond.
Attack on one considered attack on all
A key provision of the agreement states that an armed attack against any one of the three member states will be considered an attack against all three countries.
The pact also provides for expanding cooperation across various defence-related fields and strengthening institutional links between the three countries’ defence establishments.
The agreement represents a significant expansion of the existing defence relationships between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
Makkah summit strengthens strategic ties
The trilateral summit also focused on the countries’ longstanding friendly relations, Islamic ties, shared strategic interests and decades of defence cooperation.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received President Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Qasr Al-Safa in Makkah, where the leaders discussed defence cooperation and issues of mutual interest.
The agreement comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions across the Middle East and growing concerns over regional security. Reuters reported that the pact was signed amid wider regional conflict and disruption to Gulf energy shipments.
New regional security framework
The agreement brings together three countries with significant military and strategic capabilities. Pakistan has longstanding defence ties with Saudi Arabia, while Türkiye has developed extensive military and defence-industrial cooperation with Riyadh.
The three-way arrangement could provide a new framework for closer coordination on regional security, defence planning and military cooperation.
The pact also builds on the Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in 2025, while adding Türkiye to a broader trilateral security framework.
Officials have not publicly disclosed the full operational details of the new agreement, including the precise military obligations that could arise if one of the signatories comes under attack. Reuters reported that the agreement is open to wider regional participation.
The signing is expected to further deepen strategic relations among Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara as the three countries seek greater cooperation amid an increasingly uncertain regional security environment.
