Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye set for defence deal: reports

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye are expected to sign a joint defence agreement during a trilateral summit in Saudi Arabia, according to media

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye are expected to sign a joint defence agreement during a trilateral summit in Saudi Arabia, according to media reports.

The proposed agreement comes as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran. The three countries are expected to discuss regional security, defence cooperation and efforts to promote stability.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a three-day visit. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to join the summit.

The Pakistani delegation was received in Jeddah by Makkah Deputy Governor Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz and Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley.

Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir also performed Umrah during their visit.

The Foreign Office said the prime minister’s visit, scheduled from August 6 to 8, would focus on Pakistan-Saudi relations and major regional and international developments.

During the visit, Shehbaz is expected to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Discussions are likely to cover bilateral cooperation, regional security and diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is also part of Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement in the region.

Pakistan has been seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict involving the United States and Iran. Islamabad has also been calling for dialogue and efforts to prevent the regional conflict from spreading further.

The proposed trilateral defence arrangement would bring together three countries with longstanding military and strategic ties. It could also strengthen coordination on regional security at a time of heightened tensions.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already have a separate mutual defence agreement signed in September 2025. Under that pact, aggression against either country is treated as aggression against both.

The agreement further strengthened the two countries’ decades-old defence partnership.

Pakistan has traditionally provided Saudi Arabia with military training, advisory support and other defence assistance. Saudi Arabia, in turn, has remained an important economic and financial partner for Pakistan and has provided support during periods of financial pressure.

The reported trilateral agreement could expand security cooperation beyond the existing Pakistan-Saudi framework and create closer strategic coordination with Turkiye.