- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on Friday
- The deal states an attack on one is considered an attack on all three countries
- It aims to boost collective deterrence and enhance defence cooperation among the three
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed a key defence deal called the "Mecca Joint Defence Agreement" on Friday amid the backdrop of the Middle East war. The agreement will deepen cooperation between the three countries at a time of growing security concerns.
According to the deal, an attack against one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against them all.
"The Agreement is intended 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. It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three States", Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The agreement was signed during a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia.
On Thursday, Sharif arrived for a three-day visit accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Why Saudi Wants Diverse Defence Partnerships
The deal brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia and nuclear-powered Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army and a rapidly growing defence industry.
Saudi Arabia, which has come under multiple attacks as part of the war in Iran, had been looking to diversify its defence partnerships. Its critical infrastructure and oil facilities had faced repeated drone and missile strikes by Iran and its regional allies like the Houthis and Iraqi militias.
According to Turkey's Haberturk television, it is likely to allow joint military exercises and training, technology transfers and the sharing of intelligence.
The agreement also comes amid rising tensions between Turkey and Israel over Gaza and other regional conflicts, including the war in Iran and Lebanon.
"As the US prioritizes its own interests and that of Israel in the region, changing dynamics and fallout from regional conflicts are prompting countries to develop new mechanisms to identify friends and foes," Nihat Ali Ozcan, a strategist with a think tank in Ankara, told Bloomberg.
Pakistan And Saudi Arabia's September Defence Pact
It is interesting to note that in September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had signed a strategic defence pact, with the two sides saying that an attack on one country would be considered "an aggression against both".
Islamabad has also fostered close links with Saudi Arabia for decades, with over 2.5 million of its nationals estimated to be living and working in the kingdom.
The kingdom has long been a bulwark of economic support to help shore up Pakistan's faltering economy.
The expansion carries added weight because Turkey is not just another regional actor. It is a long-standing member of the US-led NATO alliance and fields the second-largest military within NATO after the United States.
