EXPLAINED: Why did Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye decide to strengthen their defence partnership now?

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have signed a new defence pact, the “Mecca Joint Defence Agreement”, aiming to deepen security cooperation amid increasing military tensions and conflicts in the Middle East. The signed agreement means that an attack on one country would be treated as an attack on all three. The pact brings together the financial strength of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s nuclear and military capabilities and defence technology, as well as Türkiye's military experience. The pact has also renewed discussion about the possibility of an “Islamic NATO” and its impact on the regional balance of power.

Why defence partnership signed at this point?

The development comes amid increasing military tensions and conflicts in the Middle East threatening the sovereignty and security of these nations. It has been signed with the focus on strengthening their collective security and promoting peace and stability along with security in the region and beyond.

After the deal, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry announced that the pact meant an attack on any member would be considered as an attack on all, and added that it was “intended to strengthen collective deterrence”.

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has imperilled the oil exports of Saudi Arabia and ⁠its ambitious development plans, raising serious questions about the reliability of its longstanding US security umbrella. Meanwhile, Turkiye and Pakistan have skipped significant direct attacks in the ongoing conflicts, but both nations are eager to calm regional conflicts that threaten their security and economies.

The development will not safeguard each other, but it will also stitch together a web of partnerships which will help shift regional threats away from relying on any single partner or bloc.

What it means for Saudi, Pak and Türkiye?

In terms of Pakistan, this agreement firmly places Islamabad within the Middle East's evolving security framework, coming soon after the new defence pact of the nation with Saudi Arabia and amid deepening ties with Egypt and Jordan. As a nuclear-armed, Muslim-majority nation, Pakistan gains added regional prestige and influence valuable for reshaping its global image away from associations with repression and terrorism. The deal could also strengthen ties with Washington, since the Trump administration favours greater burden-sharing among key allies and is likely to welcome a pact aimed at boosting collective regional deterrence, particularly against Iran, according to media reports.

For Turkey, this expands an existing network of alliances with Qatar, Syria, and Libya, reinforcing a broader Muslim collective defence framework and the principle that outside powers shouldn't unilaterally alter regional political orders. While Saudi Arabia gains leverage against Iran and Pakistan against India, Turkey benefits from added deterrence against Israel amid rising tensions. The Doha airstrike has heightened regional interest in collective air defence against both Iran and Israel. Each country stands to gain militarily and diplomatically, with Turkish defence industries poised for commercial growth, and the agreement strengthening Turkey's role in India-Europe trade networks.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's new security pact with Turkey strengthens its regional leverage amid an emboldened Iran and limits on US deterrence, positioning Riyadh as a stabilising regional leader. Like its existing defence agreements with Pakistan and the GCC, this deal is unlikely to guarantee a NATO-style collective response, though it may offer diplomatic advantages, as seen when Riyadh used its Pakistan ties to shape Iran-related negotiations. The move signals Saudi Arabia stepping back from seeking a binding US security guarantee, though it doesn't reject the US partnership, potentially aligning with Washington's shift toward a regional "integrator" role.