20.10.2026 12:31
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan on August 7, was submitted to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM). The agreement, which stipulates that an armed attack on one of the parties shall be deemed an attack on all three, can enter into force after being approved by law in the Parliament. The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) had announced that, for a possible military contribution to Saudi Arabia, TBMM approval and the authorization for the deployment of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) abroad must be completed.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement has come onto Parliament’s agenda. Its acceptance in the General Assembly will be the first step for Turkey’s commitments to legally enter into force.
AGREEMENT IN PARLIAMENT
The agreement signed in August in Mecca by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was sent to the Speaker’s Office of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey for ratification. Under Article 90 of the Constitution, for such international agreements to enter into force, the GNAT must approve them by law.
JOINT DEFENSE COMMITMENT
The core element of the agreement is the joint defense commitment stipulating that an armed attack on one of the party countries shall be deemed an attack on all. The agreement also aims at defense industry cooperation in the fields of unmanned aerial vehicles, munitions, joint production, technology transfer and military exercises. The full text of the agreement has not yet been shared with the public.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, stating that the pact is “not an offensive but a defensive alliance,” had said, “Turkey will not send troops to another country’s territory and carry out an attack there.”
MND: GNAT APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED
Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk answered questions on the matter at the weekly press briefing on October 15. Emphasizing that the process of military support that could be provided to Saudi Arabia “will be conducted in line with our Constitution and the provisions of relevant legislation,” Aktürk stated that for the agreement to be approved by the GNAT and the Turkish Armed Forces to be sent abroad, “the necessary authorization processes must be completed.”
Aktürk noted that the scope of the military forces and capabilities Turkey could provide would be determined by the competent authorities by taking into account Saudi Arabia’s needs and requests, developments on the ground, operational requirements and the agreement between the parties.