India on Friday said it was closely monitoring a new trilateral defence agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, under which an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack against all.
Responding to a question at the Ministry of External Affairs’ weekly media briefing, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “This is also a development that we are closely following, and we shall keep you updated.”
Mecca Joint Defence Agreement Signed
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the agreement in Mecca following a defence summit.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement is aimed at strengthening collective deterrence against aggression and expanding defence cooperation between the three countries.
“The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all,” the statement said.
The agreement also seeks to enhance cooperation across various areas of defence while promoting peace, stability and security in the region and beyond.
Pact Comes Amid West Asia Tensions
The agreement comes amid heightened security concerns and escalating tensions in West Asia. Pakistan and Türkiye have also been deepening their military and strategic cooperation, while Saudi Arabia has been pursuing stronger security partnerships as part of its broader regional outreach.
A Turkish official described the agreement as “purely defensive” and said it was not directed against any particular country. The official also said the arrangement could remain open to other regional states and would not replace existing bilateral or multilateral defence agreements.
Growing Pakistan-Saudi Military Cooperation
The new pact builds on an earlier defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Last year, the two countries agreed that aggression against either nation would be treated as aggression against both.
Pakistan has also expanded its military cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including the deployment of military personnel and defence systems, while pursuing broader security arrangements with other Gulf countries.
The trilateral agreement brings together Pakistan’s military manpower and defence capabilities, Türkiye’s substantial military capacity and Saudi Arabia’s financial and strategic influence in the Gulf.
India Assesses Strategic Implications
New Delhi has not offered a detailed assessment of the agreement’s potential impact on India’s strategic interests. The MEA’s response indicated that the government is closely following developments and will provide further updates as it assesses the implications of the new security arrangement.
