14.11.2026 00:20
Law No. 7597, which approved the ratification of the Mecca Agreement signed on August 7 between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, was published in the Official Gazette. The joint defense agreement among the three countries entered into force as of the date of its publication. The 16-article agreement envisages that an externally sourced armed attack against one of the parties shall be considered an attack against all parties, mutual assistance with military capabilities, intelligence sharing, and joint defense industry projects.
The law approving the ratification of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on August 7, 2026, was published in the Official Gazette. The 16-article agreement envisages that an externally sourced armed attack against one of the parties shall be deemed to have been made against all parties, mutual assistance with military means, intelligence sharing, and joint defense industry projects.
An important stage has been completed in the ratification process in Türkiye of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, which will carry the defense cooperation between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to a new dimension. Law No. 7597 concerning the approval of the ratification of the agreement signed among the three countries was published in the Official Gazette dated November 14, 2026.
The agreement, signed in Mecca on August 7, 2026, by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, aims to place the three countries' cooperation in the field of defense and security within an institutional framework.
AN ATTACK ON ONE COUNTRY WILL BE CONSIDERED AN ATTACK ON ALL THREE COUNTRIES
One of the most striking provisions of the agreement is that an externally sourced armed attack against any one of the parties is accepted as an attack against all parties.
According to Article 2 of the agreement, in such a case the other parties shall immediately provide mutual assistance to the country subjected to the attack. The scope and nature of the support to be provided shall be determined after an objective assessment of the needs. The parties may support the attacked country by also using their military capabilities within the framework of their available means.
This provision envisages the establishment of a collective defense and deterrence mechanism among the three countries.
JOINT EXERCISES AND MILITARY TRAINING WILL BE CONDUCTED
The agreement also covers the development of relations among the armed forces of the three countries. Accordingly, it was decided to encourage military personnel exchanges, joint training programs, exercises and deployment activities.
It is aimed to increase the interoperability of the parties' military units in peacetime and wartime, strengthen defense capacities and improve operational coordination.
INTELLIGENCE SHARING AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT
Article 9 of the agreement envisages intelligence sharing among the three countries through secure channels. The obligations of the parties regarding the confidentiality, data security and protection of the information to be shared are also regulated.
Under Article 10, it was decided that the parties shall provide logistical support to one another in peacetime, wartime and emergency situations. This support covers weapons, ammunition, fuel, spare parts and other military equipment. The provision of assistance shall depend on available logistical means and the compatibility of systems.
TARGET OF JOINT PRODUCTION IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY
Article 7 of the agreement is devoted to the development of cooperation in the defense industry. Accordingly, joint defense production, research and development projects, innovation efforts in defense technologies and technical information sharing among the three countries will be encouraged.
In addition, the training of human resources in the defense industry, the mutual assignment of experts and the development of military industrial capacity are also among the cooperation topics.
A STRATEGIC POLITICAL AND DEFENSE COMMITTEE WILL BE ESTABLISHED
Article 8 of the agreement envisages the establishment of a Strategic Political and Defense Committee among the three countries. The committee will include the foreign and defense ministers and chiefs of general staff of the countries.
The committee will provide strategic direction to joint defense policies and ensure the development of cooperation in the field of security. Meetings will be held twice a year in the party countries on a rotational basis. When necessary, the countries' leaders may also come together once a year.
It was decided that the committee's secretariat shall be located in Saudi Arabia and that the first secretary-general shall be appointed from Pakistan. The committee was also given the authority to determine the mechanism and criteria for the participation of other countries in the agreement.
THE AGREEMENT WILL BE INDEFINITE
For the Mecca Agreement, consisting of 16 articles, to enter into force, the party countries must complete the necessary approval procedures under their domestic law and the final approval document must be submitted to the secretariat.
The agreement will remain in force indefinitely. However, any one of the parties may withdraw from the agreement after 10 years have passed since its entry into force, by giving written notification through diplomatic channels at least three months in advance.
The agreement also provides for respect for the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, while preserving the parties' existing international obligations.