Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey gathered in Istanbul on Monday for the inaugural session of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, the senior body created under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar led the Pakistani delegation, marking the first formal meeting of the three‑nation defence framework since the pact was signed last year.
The three‑hour summit brought together senior officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, defence and interior of each country, as well as senior military representatives. Participants reviewed the core objectives of the Makkah defence pact, which include synchronized threat assessments, intelligence sharing and the development of joint operational doctrines to address common security challenges in the region.
Key points of discussion centred on practical cooperation measures, such as the planning of combined maritime patrols in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, the establishment of a joint air‑defence monitoring centre, and the scheduling of regular bilateral and trilateral military exercises. Delegates also examined the possibility of joint procurement programmes, particularly in the areas of unmanned aerial systems and missile‑defence technologies, to enhance interoperability and reduce costs.
All three governments reaffirmed their commitment to a long‑term strategic partnership that dovetails with the broader vision of the Makkah defence pact: a stable, secure neighbourhood that can collectively counter terrorism, cyber‑threats and external aggression. The statements underscored a shared intent to project a unified front in diplomatic forums and to coordinate responses to crises that could affect any of the signatories.
The Istanbul meeting concluded with an agreement to institutionalise regular follow‑up sessions and to set up a joint task force responsible for translating the committee’s decisions into actionable projects. The task force will convene its first working group within the next two months, with a calendar of quarterly meetings already proposed.
For Pakistan, the accord offers a significant boost to its strategic outreach in the Gulf and Anatolia, providing new avenues for defence collaboration that could offset the pressures of its longstanding rivalry with India and the evolving security dynamics in Afghanistan. Strengthened ties with Riyadh and Ankara are also expected to open channels for technology transfer and joint training, potentially modernising the Pakistan Armed Forces while deepening Islamabad’s diplomatic leverage in regional affairs.