Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to hold the first high-level meeting under their newly signed joint defence agreement in Istanbul on August 31, marking a significant step in formalising trilateral security cooperation.
The inaugural session of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee was confirmed by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry and is being held under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by the three countries on August 7, 2026. Foreign and defence ministers, along with senior military chiefs from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, are expected to participate, while Pakistan will be represented by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Muhammad Asif and Army Chief General Asim Munir.
The defence pact is designed to strengthen collective deterrence among the three countries. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the participating states is to be treated as an attack against all three, establishing a mutual-defence framework comparable in principle to NATO’s collective-defence provision. The agreement also calls for broader cooperation across defence and security matters.
The Istanbul meeting is expected to focus on international security developments, strengthening defence capabilities, improving interoperability among the three armed forces and expanding cooperation in the defence industry. Discussions could also cover opportunities for joint defence production and technology development, potentially giving the partnership a stronger industrial dimension.
The trilateral arrangement comes amid heightened security tensions across the Middle East and growing concerns over regional instability. Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are seeking to strengthen coordination while maintaining their existing international partnerships. Turkish officials have also indicated that the framework could eventually be expanded, with Egypt previously identified as a possible future participant.
The first committee meeting therefore represents more than a diplomatic gathering. It is expected to provide the institutional mechanism for implementing the defence agreement and could shape future cooperation in military planning, defence technology, joint production and regional security.
As the three countries begin translating the Makkah agreement into a structured defence mechanism, the Istanbul talks will be closely watched for indications of how far their military and strategic cooperation could develop in the coming months.