Turkey Rules Out Multilateral Defence Pact With Pakistan And Saudi Arabia

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 10:48 IST

Turkish security sources pointed to Pakistan’s limited military capacity and capability, noting that Pakistan is already engaged on multiple fronts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. (Image: AP)

Turkey has firmly ruled out any multilateral mutual defence agreement involving Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, clarifying that discussions underway are limited to strategic and bilateral defence cooperation, not a collective security pact. Multiple Turkish political, military and security sources have underlined that Ankara is not part of, nor considering, a Pakistan–Saudi–Turkey mutual defence framework.

Turkish officials have categorically stated that there is no security pact, only cooperation aligned with broader strategic objectives. According to a top Turkish military source, Turkey is not interested in a multilateral mutual defence agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, despite Pakistan’s insistence on expanding defence ties into a wider framework. Saudi Arabia, the source said, is also not inclined towards a multilateral arrangement, preferring strictly bilateral defence agreements instead.

Turkish security sources pointed to Pakistan’s limited military capacity and capability, noting that Pakistan is already engaged on multiple fronts — along the Pakistan–India, Pakistan–Afghanistan and Pakistan–Iran borders, as well as in internal security operations. Additional troop commitments for Saudi Arabia further constrain Pakistan’s operational flexibility. “Pakistan’s security forces are already stretched," a senior Turkish source said, adding that this reality limits Pakistan’s ability to shoulder obligations under a mutual defence pact.

Sources also highlighted Pakistan’s heavy dependence on Chinese military technology, particularly in air defence systems and the air force, while noting that Pakistan’s only exclusive strategic asset remains its nuclear capability. This technological reliance, Turkish officials suggest, is one of the reasons Ankara is cautious about entering any binding multilateral defence structure.

Economic factors also weigh heavily. “Strong economy makes a powerful military," a Turkish security official noted, pointing out that Pakistan’s persistent economic challenges weaken its defence sustainability. Turkey, too, faces financial constraints. Both militaries, sources said, lack the ability to invest at Saudi Arabia’s scale in defence modernisation, making a trilateral defence bloc impractical.

Despite ruling out a mutual defence agreement, Turkey has emphasised that Pakistan–Turkey defence ties remain robust. Ankara is already supplying military hardware, air defence systems, drone technology and other equipment to Pakistan, while both sides pursue multiple strategic objectives through cooperation.

This position aligns with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s recent remarks, where he cautioned against “outsourcing security," stressing that unless regional actors take ownership of their security challenges, stability will remain elusive.

The message was reinforced on January 30, when Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu met Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir at GHQ Rawalpindi. Both sides discussed regional and global security issues and agreed to deepen bilateral defence cooperation through training, joint exercises and capacity-building initiatives, reaffirming their enduring strategic partnership and shared commitment to regional peace and stability — without any multilateral defence pact.

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