Turkish, Saudi, Pakistani ministers’ first Mecca defence pact meeting today: 10 things to know

The meeting comes after the signing of Mecca defence pact earlier this month and is likely to be attended by top officials, including Pak deputy PM Ishaq Dar.

Turkiye is preparing to host Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in Istanbul on Monday, the first ministerial meeting of their newly formed regional defence grouping, news agency AFP reported, citing Turkish sources.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, (via REUTERS)

The meeting comes after the signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement earlier this month and is likely to be attended by top ministers and military officials of the three countries, including Pakistan's deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar. The pact has been presented as a NATO-style mutual-defence arrangement, where an attack on one member would be regarded as an attack on all.

All you need to know about the trilateral pact | 10 points

1. Under the Mecca agreement, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have committed themselves to providing mutual defence support if any one of the three countries comes under attack.
2. The new defence pact comes at a time of heightened tensions across the region. The agreement was concluded against the backdrop of the conflict between the United States and Iran, as well as attacks carried out in the region by Houthi rebels backed by Tehran.
3. One of the main outcomes expected from the Istanbul meeting is the creation of a “political and defence strategic committee”, according to AFP sources in the Turkish foreign ministry.
4. The proposed body will bring together foreign and defence ministers as well as the military chiefs of the three participating countries.
5. The grouping brings together three significant military and regional powers with different strategic strengths. Turkiye has NATO’s second-largest army, Pakistan is the only nuclear-armed state in the Islamic world, while Saudi Arabia is the leading power in the Gulf.
6. Turkiye will play a central role in Monday’s discussions, with the meeting being chaired jointly by the country’s foreign and defence ministers and its chief of the general staff.
7. Pakistan is expected to send a high-level delegation to Istanbul. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will represent Islamabad alongside Pakistan’s defence minister and the commander of its defence forces.
8. Saudi Arabia will also be represented by senior political and military officials. Its delegation will include the foreign minister, the defence minister and the chief of the general staff.
9. Along with international security, the three countries are expected to discuss ways to strengthen their respective defence capabilities and improve the ability of their armed forces to operate and coordinate effectively with one another.
10. Cooperation in the defence industry will form another important part of the discussions. Ankara said the participants intend to expand collaboration in this area while improving military interoperability.

(With inputs from AFP)