Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
The Mecca Joint defense Agreement signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan at the beginning of last month came as a surprise to many, although Turkey was interested in joining the defense agreement signed by the latter two a year ago. The new agreement goes further than defense cooperation due to a collective security pledge modelled on NATO’s famous Article 5.
Soon after Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan announceda mutual defence pact, the Houthis stepped up their attacks, testing the new alliance.
Turkey is putting its defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan into effect before securing necessary approval from parliament.
The recent terror attack in Kashmir and the subsequent tension between India and Pakistan have returned this decades-old rivalry to the spotlight. Events quickly spiralled into a dangerously charged standoff, with India’s initial reaction—withdrawing from the Indus Water Treaty—drawing a fierce response from Pakistan, which even hinted at the possibility of nuclear retaliation.