Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed a joint defence agreement, pledging mutual defence in the event of an attack on any one of the three countries. The pact, announced on Friday, August 7th, 2026, was formalized during a meeting in the Saudi city of Mecca attended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

This new Mecca Joint Defence Agreement builds on a previous pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan announced last year, expanding the alliance to include Turkey. The agreement aims "to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all," according to a joint statement.

The three nations have sought to bolster security ties amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly following the US and Israel's attack on Shia Islam-dominated Iran on February 28th, 2026. In response, Tehran and its allies launched attacks on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, including blockades of shipments through critical maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

Last month, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, controlling much of the country's northwest, declared a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia and targeted Saudi airports, oil facilities, and tankers in the Red Sea.

According to a report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, states across the Gulf have recalibrated their defence strategies in response to these regional tensions. Burcu Ozcelik from the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) noted that the agreement offers opportunities for defence industries through "joint production, technology partnerships, procurement and greater military interoperability."

The pact further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three states, signaling a significant step in regional security collaboration.

Sources