Turkey will not join the Saudi-Pakistan defence pact. Photo: X.
Turkey will not become part of a proposed mutual defence arrangement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, AFP reported on Saturday. The new development dispels the speculation that Ankara was moving toward joining the alliance.
The clarification came after a Turkish official had said earlier this month that talks were underway aimed at Turkey’s possible entry into the pact, fuelling reports of a potential three-way security alliance among Ankara, Riyadh and Islamabad.
Rejecting those claims, the Saudi military source told AFP unequivocally that “Turkey won’t join the defence pact with Pakistan.”
The source speaking with AFP stressed that the agreement in question is strictly limited in scope.
“It’s a bilateral pact with Pakistan and will remain a bilateral pact.”
A Gulf official independently confirmed this position to AFP, reinforcing that the arrangement does not extend beyond the two countries.
“This is a bilateral defensive relationship with Pakistan. We have common agreements with Turkey but the one with Pakistan will stay bilateral,” the official said.
Speculation about a broader alliance involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had intensified amid escalating regional tensions. The rumours followed Israeli air strikes in Doha over the summer that targeted Hamas officials, events that were later compounded by Iran’s bombing of a US air base in Qatar.
Against this backdrop of rising instability in the Middle East, suggestions that the three countries were working toward a wider security alignment gained traction. Saudi and Gulf officials, however, moved to shut down those claims, reiterating the bilateral nature of the Pakistan–Saudi agreement.
Pakistan–Saudi Fefence Agreement – Regional Implications
The Pakistan–Saudi defence agreement, announced last year, has drawn significant attention, particularly over its possible nuclear implications in the region.
Saudi Arabia is believed to have played a key role in defusing the recent conflict between India and Pakistan, while also maintaining strong diplomatic ties with New Delhi.
India’s fast-growing economy is heavily dependent on petroleum imports, and Saudi Arabia ranks as India’s third-largest oil supplier, according to India’s foreign ministry.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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