Turkiye Details Strategic Defense Mechanisms and Joint Operations with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was recently pictured shaking hands with Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif as Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looked on after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, according to the Turkish Presidency press office and AFP. Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan plan to group senior ministers, hold joint exercises, and deepen defence industry cooperation under the military pact signed by the regional powers, the Turkish defence ministry stated.

The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, which establishes that an armed attack against any individual member will be treated as an attack on all, mirroring NATO’s Article 5 collective defence clause. During a weekly briefing in Ankara, the Turkish defence ministry explained that the pact's primary objective is to place defence and military ties on a more institutional and sustainable footing.

“Under the accord, strategic political and military mechanisms plan to be established involving the Defence Ministers, Foreign Ministers, and Chiefs of General Staff/Armed Forces Commanders, and that coordination among the three countries will be conducted at the highest level,” the ministry announced. Planned initiatives include joint military exercises spanning land, naval, and air forces, alongside air defence and unmanned systems, paired with enhanced defence industry cooperation.

“The aim is to provide not only product and system supply, but also joint development and production, technology cooperation, and sustainable maintenance and logistics support,” the ministry detailed, noting that unmanned and autonomous systems, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence capabilities will receive top priority.

Turkiye, holding NATO’s second-largest army, noted that the pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan and top oil exporter Saudi Arabia could potentially expand to include Egypt, while emphasizing that the agreement does not aim to replace any current alliances. Additionally, the ministry reported that Turkiye is engaging in meetings in Jeddah aimed at forming an international coalition to secure Red Sea shipping.

Addressing wider Middle East developments, ministry spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk asserted that enduring peace and stability depend on Israel ending its occupation and military actions in Gaza and Lebanon. Akturk stated that ongoing Israeli attacks continue to worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing United Nations reports, and pointed to Israel's rejection of the 15-point Gaza Plan—proposed by the United States—as evidence of regional expansionism. He also noted that military activities and attacks persist in southern Lebanon despite a signed framework agreement.

“We once again emphasise that it is essential for the international community to take a more determined and stronger stance against Israel’s actions by upholding international law and humanitarian values in order to establish peace and stability in the region,” Akturk concluded.