Kathmandu— Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye signed a defense pact in Mecca on Friday, establishing a trilateral framework that could reshape the regional power balance. The agreement, signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, comes as Gulf monarchies seek alternative security frameworks following recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran and subsequent retaliations.

A New Regional Security Architecture

The formation of the bloc follows months of negotiations and builds upon existing military ties, including a previous agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad and growing defense cooperation between Ankara and Islamabad. The pact aims to strengthen the collective diplomatic and defense weight of the three nations, potentially contributing to a more regionally driven security architecture, according to Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center.

While Pakistan's Foreign Ministry stated that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against them all, it remains unclear if the pact will trigger a combined military response similar to NATO's Article 5 collective defense commitments.

Strategic Assets and Military Capabilities

The three nations bring significant strategic assets to the grouping. Pakistan possesses a nuclear arsenal, while Türkiye maintains a robust defense industry and the second-largest military in NATO. Saudi Arabia provides substantial financial muscle and operates a military equipped with American weaponry.

Existing military cooperation is already evident in the region. Several thousand Pakistani troops, 16 fighter jets, drones, and a Chinese-made air defense system are currently stationed in eastern Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the Pakistani military already utilizes Turkish drones and other weapons systems.

Regional Reactions and Geopolitical Implications

The agreement has drawn sharp criticism from Iran, which has long sought to dominate the Gulf security landscape. Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of Iran’s Parliament and National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, dismissed the pact as a "paper agreement," suggesting that such alliances would not provide the security the Gulf states seek.

India has expressed interest in the development, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal stating that the country is watching the developments closely. While experts suggest the pact may not immediately act as a "gamechanger" or a formal "Islamic NATO," it is expected to create a more complex regional security calculus in the years ahead.

The emergence of this alignment follows a period of heightened instability in the Middle East, driven by shifting security dynamics involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.