Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan High Officials to Hold Historic Istanbul Summit Following Mecca Defence Pact

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026 [Saudi Press Agency/Reuters].

Top officials from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan are scheduled to convene in Istanbul on Monday for their inaugural meeting following the signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement earlier this month.

Turkish officials announced on Sunday that foreign ministers, defence ministers, and chiefs of staff from all three nations will participate in the discussions. According to AFP, the gathering in Istanbul will officially launch a new “political and defence strategic committee” formed by these national representatives.

Sources from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, cited by Reuters news agency, indicated that the talks will focus on international security challenges alongside efforts to enhance military cooperation and capabilities.

The Mecca agreement establishes a collective security framework comparable to NATO, stipulating that an act of aggression against any single member is treated as an attack on all. This alliance emerged in the aftermath of the United States-Israel war on Iran. Notably, Turkiye maintains the second-largest military within NATO, Pakistan holds the distinction of being the sole nuclear-armed Muslim nation, and Saudi Arabia stands as the world’s premier oil exporter.

During an August interview with Al Jazeera, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted that Egypt might eventually become part of the pact. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has announced it is seriously evaluating potential membership.

This prospective enlargement is being monitored closely by India. The country's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, informed journalists that New Delhi is prepared to take all required measures to protect its national security.