Türkiye is in advanced discussions to join the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, with talks expected to conclude successfully, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The SMDA, signed in September 2025, stipulates that any attack on Pakistan or Saudi Arabia would be treated as aggression against both countries, significantly strengthening their defence partnership.
According to Bloomberg, Türkiye’s potential entry into the pact could lead to the emergence of a new security alignment, with the potential to alter the balance of power in the Middle East and beyond. Ankara is reportedly considering the move amid growing uncertainty over the reliability of the United States as a security partner, as well as its expanding strategic convergence with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia across South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Pakistan and Türkiye share longstanding military ties and cooperate on several defence initiatives. Türkiye is currently supplying corvette warships to the Pakistan Navy and has carried out upgrades on multiple F-16 fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force. The two countries also collaborate on drone technology, a partnership that includes Saudi Arabia.
In addition, Türkiye is exploring the possibility of involving Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in its Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet programme.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia formally signed the SMDA on September 17, 2025, during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh. The agreement was inked by Prime Minister Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reinforcing their decades-old security relationship.
Following the signing, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar revealed that several countries had expressed interest in entering similar defence arrangements with Pakistan. Speaking in the National Assembly on October 3, 2025, Dar described the pact as a major diplomatic achievement and said multiple Arab and Muslim countries were keen to join such a framework.
He added that the agreement could eventually expand into a broader collective security alliance, drawing comparisons with Nato or a potential “Eastern Nato”.
Discussions around expanding the SMDA come amid heightened regional security developments. Pakistan’s military posture has gained attention following its brief conflict with India last year, which ended in a US-brokered ceasefire, as well as clashes along its western border with Afghanistan.