Makkah Defence Agreement: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye deepen military cooperation

The Makkah Defence Agreement was discussed during Friday’s meeting, where the three military chiefs reviewed security threats facing Saudi Arabia and agreed to move towards practical cooperation.

The talks focused on intelligence sharing, military coordination and greater integration of defence capabilities. The commanders also reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence and protecting Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The meeting came amid increased attacks against Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi movement and wider regional tensions. Saudi authorities have reported missile and drone attacks targeting the kingdom in recent weeks.

The military chiefs condemned attacks targeting Makkah and Saudi civilian and economic infrastructure, according to statements from the Saudi Defence Ministry and Pakistan’s military.

They also praised the Saudi armed forces for their role in protecting the kingdom and its population.

The three sides agreed to begin translating commitments under the defence agreement into what they described as effective military cooperation. The meeting followed talks between the countries’ foreign ministers in New York on Thursday, where they discussed preparations for an urgent meeting of the military chiefs.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. The pact states that an armed attack against one member will be considered an attack against all three and calls for closer defence cooperation and collective deterrence.

The countries have since been working to establish the agreement’s institutional structure. A permanent secretariat is being established in Riyadh, while Pakistan has been selected to provide the alliance’s first secretary-general.

Retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood was appointed to the post on September 23, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.

Friday’s meeting marked an important step in putting the agreement’s military mechanisms into operation. However, reports did not indicate that the three countries had agreed on specific troop deployments or military assistance.

Any such decisions would depend on Saudi Arabia’s requirements and further consultations between the three governments.

There has also been discussion about potentially expanding the arrangement beyond its current three members.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said the agreement could eventually develop into a broader security framework involving Muslim-majority countries and suggested that Iran could potentially join. He said Türkiye did not view the pact as being directed against Tehran.

That proposal remains a political discussion and does not represent a formal expansion of the existing agreement.

The immediate focus remains on strengthening coordination between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as the security situation around the kingdom continues to develop.