Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye Sign Mutual Defense Pact

The Government of Saudi Arabia, the Government of Pakistan, and the Government of Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026. The pact, signed at Al-Safa Palace during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence, establishes a collective deterrence framework stipulating that an armed attack against any one signatory state will be regarded as an attack against all three.

Signed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the alliance follows a year of negotiations. The agreement creates a strategic triangle combining Türkiye's defense technology and drones, Saudi Arabia's financial and energy resources, and Pakistan's military manpower and nuclear deterrence. The partners aim to increase strategic autonomy and reduce reliance on the United States security umbrella amid Middle East instability and an assertive Israel.

While some observers describe the arrangement as an Islamic NATO, the pact currently lacks the permanent institutions and integrated command structure of the NATO alliance. Potential cooperation may include the Turkish KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet program. Iran has dismissed the agreement as a piece of paper that will not provide real security to Riyadh.