Top officials from Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to meet in Istanbul on Monday for their first high-level gathering since the three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement earlier this month.

The meeting will bring together the foreign ministers, defence ministers and chiefs of staff of the three countries, according to Turkish officials.

Diplomatic sources said the Istanbul gathering will formally establish a “political and defence strategic committee” bringing together senior representatives from the three countries. The committee is expected to provide a permanent framework for political consultations and closer defence coordination.

According to sources at Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, the agenda will include international and regional security developments, as well as ways to strengthen military cooperation, defence capabilities and coordination among the three countries.

The Mecca agreement establishes a collective security framework under which an armed attack against one of the participating countries could be regarded as an attack against all three. The pact was signed in the aftermath of the US-Israeli war against Iran, amid growing security concerns across the region.

The agreement has been described as a major development in defence cooperation among three influential Muslim-majority countries, bringing together significant military, economic and strategic capabilities.

Türkiye has one of the largest militaries within NATO, while Pakistan is the only Muslim-majority country with nuclear weapons. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, remains a major global energy power and one of the world's leading oil exporters.

The agreement could also expand beyond its three founding members. Bangladesh has indicated that it is actively considering joining the framework, raising the possibility of a broader security arrangement involving additional Muslim-majority countries.

Any expansion is being closely watched by neighbouring powers, particularly India.

The Istanbul meeting is therefore expected to be closely watched both inside and outside the region as Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan seek to transform their newly established defence agreement into a more structured mechanism for strategic and military cooperation. (ILKHA)