Now Reading: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey sign Mecca mutual defence pact
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Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey sign Mecca mutual defence pact
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, promising to treat an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three. The deal was signed in…
The Story in Brief
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, promising to treat an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three. The deal was signed in Mecca by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the pact is not aimed at Iran or any other country, and that Egypt is a ‘natural partner’ expected to join later. But Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in a separate interview, called for a broader ‘Islamic NATO’ to counter threats from India and Israel. The agreement comes amid regional turmoil from the US-Iran war.
The Indian Opinion
Pakistan's defence minister wants an 'Islamic NATO' to target India and Israel, while Turkey's foreign minister insists the new pact is aimed at no one. This contradiction is typical of alliances built on religious identity rather than shared strategic interests. The real test will be whether the secretariat in Saudi Arabia ever publishes a clear list of threats, or if it remains a photo-op alliance with vague commitments.
Sources (5): indiatoday.in, ndtv.com, indiatvnews.com, timesnownews.com, timesnownews.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 5 sources.
