Turkey reviews defense pact plans with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan... High-level military and political coordination - Sarmad

(Royters) – Turkey’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday that Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan will establish a mechanism bringing together senior ministers and military officials, conduct joint exercises, and enhance cooperation in defense industries under a defense pact signed by the three countries last week.

The three countries signed the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” on August 7. The agreement stipulates that any armed attack on any of the three countries is considered an attack on all of them, similar to the collective defense clause in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) charter.

In a weekly press briefing in Ankara, the ministry said the primary objective of the agreement is to establish defense and military relations on a “more institutionalized and sustainable” basis.

The ministry stated, “Under the agreement, mechanisms for strategic political and military coordination involving defense and foreign ministers, chiefs of staff, and armed forces commanders are to be established, with coordination among the three countries at the highest levels.”

It added that joint military exercises involving land, naval, and air forces, as well as air defense systems and unmanned systems, are planned, along with enhanced cooperation in defense industries.

“The goal is not limited to providing products and systems, but also includes joint development and production, technological cooperation, and sustained support in maintenance and logistics services,” it added, noting that priority will be given to unmanned and autonomous systems, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence capabilities.

Turkey, which has the second-largest army in NATO, said the agreement with nuclear-armed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, is expandable, with Egypt potentially joining, and that it does not aim to replace any existing alliances.

The Defense Ministry noted that Turkey is also participating in meetings held in Jeddah aimed at forming an international coalition to protect shipping movements in the Red Sea.