ISTANBUL, 30 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Senior officials from Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will meet in Istanbul on Monday for the first committee meeting under the joint defence agreement signed by the three countries earlier this month, according to a Turkish Foreign Ministry source. The “Mecca Joint Defence Agreement,” signed on August 7, brings together Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan amid growing regional tensions and security challenges. The agreement is aimed at strengthening collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against all, in a framework similar to NATO’s collective defence principle. Foreign and defence ministers, along with the chiefs of staff of the three countries, will attend the meeting in Istanbul, the Turkish Foreign Ministry source said. “International security issues will be on the agenda,” the source said, adding that discussions are expected to focus on enhancing defence capabilities, improving interoperability among the armed forces and deepening cooperation in the defence industry. The talks are also expected to cover opportunities for joint defence production and development among the three countries. Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have been strengthening their strategic and defence cooperation amid wider regional instability and security concerns. Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest military, has previously indicated that the defence pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan and major oil producer Saudi Arabia could be expanded to include other countries, with Egypt cited as a potential candidate. Turkish officials have also maintained that the agreement is not intended to replace existing alliances but rather to complement and strengthen regional security cooperation. The first meeting of the joint committee is expected to provide a framework for translating the defence agreement into practical mechanisms for coordination, military interoperability, defence industrial cooperation and collective security.