Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia bound by 10-year minimum under Makkah defence pact

• The agreement treats an armed attack on any member as an attack on all three countries.
• No signatory can withdraw during the first 10 years after the pact takes effect.
• Turkiye has submitted the agreement to parliament, with its contribution expected to focus on equipment, intelligence and weapons systems.

Turkiye has submitted a joint defence agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to parliament for ratification, three parliamentary sources said on Tuesday. The pact commits the countries to assist one another against external aggression and prevents any member from withdrawing during its first 10 years.

Signed in August, the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance would bring Turkiye, which has Nato’s second-largest army, closer to a formal mutual defence commitment with Saudi Arabia as the kingdom faces Houthi attacks.

Under the agreement, an armed attack against one signatory would be regarded as an attack against all three. A text seen by Reuters requires members to use all necessary means to counter threats to each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity or internationally recognised borders.

Article 2 requires the countries to provide immediate assistance when a member comes under armed attack or military aggression from another country or group of countries. The provision draws on Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognises the right to individual or collective self-defence, and resembles Nato’s Article 5 commitment.

The agreement leaves the scope and nature of that assistance to the three countries. They would assess the support required and respond within their available resources, including their military capabilities.

The pact would remain in force indefinitely, but none of its members could leave during the first decade after it takes effect. Once that period ends, a country wishing to withdraw must give the other members at least three months’ written notice through diplomatic channels.

Withdrawal would not affect projects or activities agreed before a member’s departure. Obligations to protect classified information would also continue after a country leaves.

The agreement requires members to keep classified documents and information obtained through the alliance confidential. Such material cannot be shared with any outside state, company or individual. Changes to the pact would require consultations and unanimous approval from its designated “Core Parties”.

The three countries held an emergency alliance meeting in Riyadh earlier this month, where they agreed to ensure the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks.

Turkiye has condemned the attacks and offered to help meet Saudi Arabia’s military technology requirements. It has also agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition aimed at protecting navigation in the Red Sea.

Beyond mutual defence, the pact covers defence industry cooperation, intelligence exchanges, logistical assistance and joint efforts against terrorism, including operational cooperation. It also provides for joint training, research and development, and work on advanced technologies.

A Turkish official, speaking anonymously, said Ankara’s contribution was expected to centre on military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems. The official added that no other form of deployment had taken place under the alliance so far.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the Makkah Agreement as defensive when asked how Ankara could help Saudi Arabia respond to attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. He said Turkiye would not send troops into another country to conduct attacks on its territory.

Formal Turkish approval requires parliamentary ratification. Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, who is visiting Kyrgyzstan, is expected to refer the agreement to the Foreign Affairs Committee after returning, two parliamentary sources said. Another source said the committee could begin debating it as early as Friday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s communications director, Burhanettin Duran, described the submission as a significant step towards establishing a formal structure for strategic cooperation among the three countries.

In a post on X, Duran said the partnership sought to improve collective deterrence, expand joint defence capabilities and protect regional security and stability.

Turkiye’s constitution requires separate parliamentary approval for overseas troop deployments, regardless of commitments made under an international agreement.