opinionsThe Mecca Defence Pact: Promises, Contradictions and Implications
On August 7, 2026, leaders from three majority Islamic nations represented by the Saudi Crown and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met at Mecca to sign a Joint Defence Agreement. The pact was modelled around NATO Article 5, establishing that an attack on one would be considered an attack against each one of the other patrons.
Jayant Suresh·15 October 2026
