Pakistan to lead new Turkey-Saudi defence pact

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to take the first three-year leadership of a new secretariat established under the defence agreement signed by Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia in Makkah on Aug 7, giving Islamabad a prominent role in coordinating the emerging regional security framework.

According to Turkish and international media reports, the secretariat will serve as the central mechanism for implementing decisions taken by the three countries and coordinating their growing defence cooperation. After Pakistan’s initial three-year term, leadership is expected to pass to Saudi Arabia and then Türkiye.

The agreement is built around a collective-security principle under which an armed attack against one member would be regarded as an attack against all three. However, unlike NATO’s automatic response mechanism, the pact leaves the nature of any response to be determined according to the circumstances and the request of the affected country.

A high-level council comprising foreign and defence ministers as well as military chiefs is also expected to oversee the arrangement. The council is expected to meet twice a year, while cooperation could range from intelligence sharing and logistics to direct military assistance when required.

The partnership also places a strong emphasis on defence technology. The three countries plan to expand cooperation in unmanned systems, electronic warfare and artificial intelligence, alongside joint military exercises designed to improve coordination among their armed forces. Joint defence production, research and technology transfer are also part of the broader framework.

For Pakistan, the first leadership term could prove strategically significant. Islamabad already maintains longstanding defence ties with both Ankara and Riyadh, and its role at the secretariat could give it greater influence in regional security diplomacy.

Türkiye has stressed that the agreement is defensive and is not directed against any particular country. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the pact is intended to strengthen regional security rather than replace existing alliances.

With the Middle East facing continued instability, the new arrangement could become an important test of how effectively three regional powers can turn political solidarity into practical defence cooperation.