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Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey sign Mecca pact modeled on NATO
The agreement says an armed attack on any of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all of them, and analysts warn India may need to be cautious about wider security ties.
A new defense pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey has prompted concerns in India about whether Islamabad could use the deal to expand security cooperation with Muslim-majority countries in the region, according to SCMP Economy.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on Friday, states that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all of them. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif described the pact as a possible model for a wider military alliance among Islamic countries, comparing the grouping to NATO.
The tripartite agreement follows a bilateral pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed last September. SCMP Economy also noted that Pakistan has framed the agreement as a platform for broader cooperation, even as analysts expect member states to prioritize national interests over religious solidarity.
SCMP Economy added that the development comes as Bangladesh explores buying JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, co-developed by China and Pakistan, from Islamabad as part of its military modernization plans.