First strategic committee meeting under Makkah defence pact begins in Istanbul

ISTANBUL: The first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia began in Istanbul on Monday, marking the first formal high-level engagement under the trilateral defence framework.

Pakistan is represented at the meeting by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

Saudi Arabia is represented by Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Chief of General Staff General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, while Türkiye is represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.

The inaugural session is expected to review regional and international security developments and explore ways to strengthen the three countries’ collective defence capabilities, military coordination and interoperability.

The participants are also expected to discuss enhanced cooperation among their armed forces, including joint exercises, operational coordination and greater collaboration in the defence industry, including possibilities for joint production and development.

The meeting is also aimed at establishing institutional mechanisms for implementing decisions taken under the committee. Discussions are expected to cover the framework for a permanent secretariat and other relevant mechanisms, as well as a roadmap for future activities and cooperation.

Ahead of the trilateral meeting, Pakistani and Turkish officials held bilateral discussions in Istanbul.

Field Marshal Asim Munir met Turkish National Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, with the two sides discussing ways to further strengthen defence cooperation. Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu also attended the meeting.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also held talks with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, focusing on bilateral and strategic cooperation and regional security issues.

The Strategic Political and Defence Committee brings together the foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs of Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. Türkiye is hosting its inaugural meeting in Istanbul.

The committee was created under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Makkah on August 7.

The agreement commits the three countries to strengthening collective security and deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three states would be regarded as an attack against all three. It also provides for broader cooperation across defence and security sectors.

The pact comes as Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia seek closer strategic coordination amid heightened security concerns across the Middle East and wider regional tensions.

For Pakistan, the Istanbul meeting also provides an opportunity to deepen its defence and strategic partnerships with Türkiye and Saudi Arabia while coordinating positions on regional security issues.

The meeting follows the arrival of Field Marshal Munir and Foreign Minister Dar in Istanbul on Sunday ahead of the trilateral consultations. Pakistan’s Foreign Office had said the inaugural meeting would bring together the foreign ministers, defence ministers and military chiefs of the three countries.