Turkey Negotiates Trilateral Defense Pact With Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

The Government of Turkey is in advanced negotiations to establish a trilateral defense partnership with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. This effort follows a September 2025 Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which mirrors NATO's Article 5 by treating an attack on one member as an attack on all. The proposed tripartite expansion seeks to combine Saudi Arabia's financial power, Pakistan's nuclear capabilities and manpower, and Turkey's military-industrial capacity.

While some reports initially suggested Turkey was seeking to join the existing bilateral pact, officials later clarified the nature of the talks. Pakistan's Minister for Defence Production, Raza Hayat Harraj, stated that a draft agreement has been in the pipeline for ten months and is currently under review. However, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that no formal agreement has been signed, describing the initiative as part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's vision for a broader regional security platform.

Turkey is pursuing this alignment as a hedge against perceived U.S. unreliability under President Donald Trump. The move also signals a diplomatic reset between Ankara and Riyadh and follows Turkey's support for Pakistan during military clashes with India in May 2025. Analysts suggest the partnership could shift Middle Eastern power dynamics, though some warn it may create tensions with Israel or fuel regional nuclear ambitions.