Military leaders from the three nations met in Riyadh to advance cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.
The chiefs of defense forces and chiefs of general staff of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye met in Riyadh on Friday, September 25, 2026, to strengthen defense cooperation among the three nations. The meeting brought together the states party to the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, reflecting the growing partnership between the three countries.
During the meeting, the military leaders reviewed the security situation and the threats facing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They strongly condemned the attacks targeting the Holy City of Makkah, along with civilian and economic infrastructure, and expressed their firm resentment of such acts. They also commended the vigilance and professionalism of the Saudi Armed Forces in ensuring the safety of the people and the security of the Kingdom.
The gathering underlined the close ties between the three nations and their shared commitment to regional security. It marked a step toward putting the commitments of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement into practice, moving the partnership from a written accord toward active coordination.
Three Nations Advance Military Cooperation and Collective Defense
A central focus of the meeting was strengthening practical cooperation among the armed forces of the three countries. The participants discussed ways to enhance intelligence sharing, improve military coordination, and work toward greater integration of their defense capabilities.
The aim of these steps, the participants said, is to strengthen deterrence and collective defense among the three nations. By deepening cooperation in these areas, the countries seek to build a more coordinated and effective defense partnership, one capable of responding to shared security concerns.
The military leaders reaffirmed their commitment to collective defense, underscoring the resolve of the three nations to defend the security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The meeting reflected a shared determination to move quickly from agreement to action, with the participants emphasizing the importance of translating their commitments into concrete measures.
A Partnership Built on Longstanding Ties
The participants commended the longstanding relations and mutual trust that bind the people and the armed forces of the three countries. They noted that the Riyadh meeting reflected the strength of their defense partnership and their shared determination to translate the commitments of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement into effective military cooperation without delay.
The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement was signed on August 7, 2026, bringing Türkiye into a collective defense framework that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had established the previous year. The agreement is built on the principle that an attack on any one of the member states is treated as an attack on all, and it commits the three nations to deepening their defense cooperation across a range of areas.
The Riyadh meeting represents one of the first practical steps toward implementing that framework. It signals the intention of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye to give the agreement real operational weight, moving beyond a written commitment toward active collaboration among their militaries.
The relationship between the three nations rests on deep historical, religious, and cultural bonds that have developed over many years. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in particular share decades of close military and economic cooperation, while Türkiye has steadily expanded its defense ties with both nations in recent years.
This meeting builds on those foundations, pointing to a defense partnership that the three countries intend to develop further in the period ahead. The participants closed by reaffirming their shared resolve to safeguard the Kingdom’s security and to strengthen the cooperation that binds the three armed forces together.
