Turkey is in advanced discussions to join a mutual defense pact signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that treats an attack on one member as an attack on all, Bloomberg reported on January 9, citing people familiar with the matter.
Turkey’s Defense Ministry declined to comment to Bloomberg. Pakistan’s Information Ministry did not respond to a request for comment, and Saudi authorities were not immediately available.
Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed their “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” on September 17, 2025, with language stating that “any aggression” against either country would be considered aggression against both, according to Reuters. The pact has fueled debate among analysts about whether it could bolster Saudi deterrence, including speculation about a potential Pakistani “nuclear umbrella,” though the governments have not formally described it in those terms.
Turkey’s reported interest would come as Ankara and Riyadh continue to rebuild relations after a deep rift following the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul—an episode that sharply strained ties before a later diplomatic thaw.
The talks also follow fresh military-to-military engagement: Turkey and Saudi Arabia held their first naval cooperation and coordination meeting in Ankara on January 8, 2026, according to Turkey’s National Defense Ministry and Turkish media reporting.
Turkey and Pakistan have also expanded defense collaboration in recent years, including aerospace and modernization work, and Turkey has separately been reported to be pursuing new defense-industrial initiatives with Pakistan.
