Full text of Pakistan–Saudi–Turkey ‘Mecca’ defence pact released
The full text of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey is out. It became public after Turkey submitted the agreement to its Parliament for ratification on 20 October. The 16-article pact focuses more on military capacity-building than on NATO-style mutual defence.
Practice 2 MCQsMains
Why in news
The pact was signed over two months ago. It builds on the Saudi–Pakistan defence agreement and reflects new security arrangements in West Asia as US protection shrinks. On 21 October, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey and Indonesia signed a separate military cooperation agreement.
Prelims pointers
- Article 2 treats an armed attack on one party as requiring others to assist with "all means" they can provide. It does not bind them to use force, unlike NATO's Article 5.
- Seven articles deal with joint capacity-building: security consultations, counter-terrorism, joint training and exercises, intelligence sharing and logistics.
- Article 7 commits the parties to defence-technology sharing, joint development and joint production.
- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are named as "core parties" for 10 years, leaving room for new members.
- Comparable treaties:
- North Atlantic Treaty (NATO), 1949.
- Collective Security Treaty (CSTO), 1992.
- GCC Joint Defence Agreement, 2000.
Mains angle
A Pakistan-linked defence-industrial bloc in West Asia could affect India's ties with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, its energy security and the welfare of its diaspora there.
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