ISLAMABAD: Rising geopolitical uncertainties in South Asia and the MiddleEast have taken a new turn with reports indicating that Turkiye is engagedin advanced discussions to become part of the Strategic Mutual DefenceAgreement originally signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September2025. The bilateral pact, formalized in Riyadh by Prime Minister ShehbazSharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, establishes a collectivesecurity mechanism where any aggression against one signatory is regardedas an attack on both, resembling NATO’s Article 5 provision. Thisdevelopment, if realized through Turkiye’s inclusion, could forge aformidable alignment linking substantial financial resources, nuclearcapabilities, and advanced military expertise across three major Muslimnations.
The original agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia stemmed fromlongstanding strategic ties, including Pakistani military trainingdeployments in the kingdom and economic dependencies. Signed against thebackdrop of heightened regional tensions following Israeli military actionsin the Gulf, the pact emphasizes comprehensive defensive cooperationencompassing all military domains without explicitly detailing nuclearaspects. Analysts observe that it formalizes decades of collaboration whilesignaling Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of diversified security partnerships amidevolving global commitments.
Recent reports from credible international sources detail that negotiationsfor Turkiye’s accession have progressed significantly, with indicationsthat a formal deal appears highly probable. Turkiye’s involvement wouldintegrate its battle-tested military forces and robust defense industry,including drone systems and naval assets, into the framework. Existingbilateral links already include Turkiye supplying corvette warships toPakistan’s navy and upgrading its F-16 aircraft, alongside shared dronetechnology transfers with both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The prospective trilateral structure would combine Saudi Arabia’s economicstrength derived from oil revenues, Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent, ballisticmissile arsenal, and large manpower reserves, with Turkiye’s operationalexperience from various conflicts and its growing indigenous defenseproduction capabilities. Strategists from Ankara-based think tanks havehighlighted how such synergies could enhance collective deterrence,particularly in scenarios involving shared concerns over Iran oruncertainties in traditional alliances.
Indian media outlets have expressed pronounced alarm over thesedevelopments, framing the evolving pact as a direct strategic challenge.Publications and analysts in India have described it as potentially formingan “Islamic NATO” or a power bloc that could complicate New Delhi’ssecurity calculations, especially given historical rivalries with Pakistan.Concerns center on the possibility that enhanced support for Islamabadmight embolden positions in bilateral disputes, although some observersnote that the primary drivers appear rooted in Middle Eastern dynamicsrather than South Asian contingencies.The absence of official confirmations from the involved governmentsunderscores the fluid nature of these talks, with defense ministries andinformation offices either declining comment or remaining silent. Yet themomentum reflects a broader trend of Muslim-majority states seeking greaterstrategic autonomy amid perceived shifts in great-power reliability andregional instabilities.
Read Top Stories
If finalized, this arrangement could reshape deterrence postures acrossmultiple theaters, from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Arabian Sea andSouth Asian borders. It highlights evolving multipolar dynamics wheretraditional alliances face scrutiny, prompting nations to forge newcoalitions for mutual assurance.
The unfolding scenario continues to generate debate on its long-termviability and precise scope, with implications extending beyond immediatesignatories to influence wider Indo-Pacific and Middle Eastern equilibriums.
ogimageimage-name
