Daijiworld Media Network – Riyadh
Riyadh, Aug 7: Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are expected to sign a joint defence agreement in Saudi Arabia on Friday, according to media reports, fuelling speculation over deeper military cooperation among key Muslim-majority nations.
The proposed agreement has renewed discussions over the idea of an "Islamic NATO"—an informal term used to describe a potential defence alliance involving major Muslim-majority countries.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had earlier indicated that the existing defence and economic cooperation framework between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia could eventually be expanded to include Turkiye and Qatar, creating a broader regional security partnership.
Speaking to Pakistani media in May, Asif said discussions on the proposed arrangement were progressing and stressed that the initiative was aimed at strengthening regional stability rather than targeting any specific country.
He said expanding the existing Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence framework to include other regional partners would help reduce dependence on external powers while promoting peace and cooperation within the region.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement last year during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Riyadh at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The agreement states that any aggression against either country would be treated as an attack on both, reflecting the close strategic and defence ties between the two nations.
Following the signing of the bilateral pact, India said it would closely monitor its implications for national security and regional stability.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had stated that while the agreement formalised a long-standing defence arrangement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, New Delhi would carefully assess its impact on India's security interests as well as regional and global stability.
The reported trilateral agreement is expected to further deepen defence cooperation among the participating countries, although officials have maintained that the initiative is intended to enhance regional peace and security rather than serve as an alliance against any nation.