Current Affairs - International - Discussion

Istanbul hosted the first committee meeting under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on August 31, 2026. The agreement was formally signed by the three countries on August 7, 2026, to establish a collective security framework and strengthen regional defence cooperation. It includes a collective defence provision modelled on NATO's Article 5, under which an armed attack against one member country is treated as an attack against all three. The agreement also focuses on joint military production, defence industry development and coordination between armed forces. Egypt has been identified as a potential new member.