JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia-UNS: Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are expected to sign a landmark trilateral defence cooperation agreement on Friday during a summit in Jeddah, according to regional sources familiar with the negotiations.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif are expected to oversee the signing following a high-level trilateral summit aimed at strengthening strategic coordination among the three countries.
The agreement follows nearly a year of trilateral negotiations and is expected to establish a formal framework for expanded cooperation in defence, military coordination, defence industries, intelligence sharing, training, joint exercises and regional security consultation.
The proposed accord is separate from the Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in September 2025 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. That bilateral agreement included provisions for enhanced strategic coordination between Riyadh and Islamabad.
Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Production, Raza Hayat Harraj, said earlier this year that the draft trilateral agreement had been completed after extensive negotiations and had been submitted to Saudi authorities for final consideration. He stressed that the proposed pact is distinct from the existing bilateral Saudi-Pakistan defence framework and requires final approval from all three governments before entering into force.
“The draft trilateral agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey has already been completed, and the three countries are conducting their respective internal consultations,” Harraj said in previous remarks.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also confirmed earlier that Ankara had been engaged in discussions regarding a possible trilateral defence arrangement. However, he emphasized that the initiative should be viewed as part of broader efforts to strengthen regional cooperation rather than the creation of a narrowly defined military alliance.
Diplomatic and security officials say the deteriorating regional security environment has accelerated negotiations on the agreement, with the three countries seeking closer coordination in response to evolving geopolitical and security challenges across the Middle East and the wider region.
Friday’s summit is expected to focus on expanding bilateral and trilateral relations, strengthening defence and security cooperation, increasing economic and investment ties, and exchanging views on major regional and international developments.
President Erdoğan arrived in Saudi Arabia on a one-day working visit at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to participate in the summit. The Turkish presidency said Erdoğan would hold separate and joint meetings with the Saudi Crown Prince and Pakistani Prime Minister to discuss regional issues and avenues for expanding strategic cooperation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on an official visit scheduled to continue until Saturday.
If signed, the agreement would mark one of the most significant strategic defence understandings among the three regional powers in recent years, reflecting their growing commitment to closer political, military and security cooperation amid a rapidly changing regional landscape.
