Published: Aug 08, 2026, 18:01 IST | Updated: Aug 08, 2026, 18:01 IST
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a major trilateral defence pact aimed at strengthening mutual security amid growing threats and instability across West Asia.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement brings together three strategically important countries and is being presented as a defensive arrangement rooted in the UN Charter. Officials have stressed that the pact is not intended to create a new military bloc or automatically commit the three countries to offensive operations.
The agreement comes amid escalating tensions involving Iran, the United States, Yemen and the wider Gulf region. Iranian officials have reacted sharply to the pact, with some warning Saudi Arabia that a security agreement with Turkey and Pakistan would not guarantee protection.