ANKARA, Aug 13 (Alliance News): Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will establish high-level strategic mechanisms, conduct joint military exercises and expand defence industry cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed last week, Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence announced on Thursday.
The trilateral agreement was signed on August 7 during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence, attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three member states will be regarded as an attack against all.
At a weekly briefing in Ankara, the Turkish defence ministry said the agreement aims to place defence and military cooperation among the three countries on a “more institutional and sustainable” footing.
The ministry said strategic political and military coordination mechanisms would be established involving the defence ministers, foreign ministers, and chiefs of armed forces of the three countries, ensuring coordination at the highest level.
It added that the agreement provides for joint land, naval and air exercises, enhanced cooperation in air defence and unmanned systems, and closer collaboration in the defence industry.
According to the ministry, cooperation will go beyond the supply of military equipment to include joint research and development, co-production, technology transfer, maintenance and logistics support. Priority areas include unmanned and autonomous systems, electronic warfare and artificial intelligence.
Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest military, reiterated that the agreement is open to expansion and is not intended to replace any existing security alliances.
The ministry also confirmed that Türkiye is participating in meetings in Jeddah aimed at establishing an international coalition to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea.
A day earlier, President Erdogan said he hoped more countries would eventually join the defence pact.
“Our vision is not limited to the three countries. We hope the agreement will grow, and that suitable conditions will emerge for more regional countries to come under its umbrella,” Erdogan said in an interview with the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also said Egypt was expected to join the agreement in the next phase, noting that only a few technical issues remained. Fidan is scheduled to visit Cairo on Thursday and Friday.
Egypt has not officially commented on the agreement or Türkiye’s invitation.
