By Abukar Osman - Reporter
Turkey, 9 January 2026 Bloomberg, citing informed sources, reported that Turkey is seeking to join the existing defence alliance between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
The move could pave the way for a new security alignment affecting the balance of power in the Middle East and other regions.
According to the sources, the defence agreement signed by Riyadh and Islamabad last September stipulates that "any aggression" against one of the two countries is considered an attack on both. This closely resembles Article 5 of the NATO charter, in which Turkey serves as the second-largest military power after the United States.
Sources added that talks have reached an advanced stage and that reaching an agreement is likely.
Ankara believes that expanding the alliance aligns with the increasing intersection of its interests with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in South Asia, the Middle East, and even Africa.
It also views the move as a means to enhance security and deterrence amid growing questions regarding the reliability of the United States and President Donald Trump’s commitment to NATO, despite the close military ties Washington maintains with all three nations.
Bloomberg quoted Nihat Ali Özcan, a strategic expert at the Ankara-based TEPAV research center, stating that Saudi Arabia provides financial weight, while Pakistan possesses nuclear capabilities, ballistic missiles, and manpower, and Turkey enjoys extensive military expertise and an advanced defence industry.
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He added that shifting U.S. priorities in the region and the repercussions of regional conflicts are pushing countries to seek new mechanisms for defining alliances.
The Turkish Ministry of Defence declined to comment on these reports, while the Pakistani Ministry of Information did not respond to a request for comment. Authorities in Saudi Arabia could not be immediately reached for a response during the Kingdom’s weekend, according to the agency.
Bloomberg noted that Turkey's potential entry into the alliance reflects a new phase in relations with Saudi Arabia after years of tension. The two sides are currently working on developing economic and defence cooperation, having held their first joint naval meeting in Ankara this week.
The report also pointed out that Turkey and Pakistan have enjoyed close military relations for years, including the construction of warships for the Pakistani Navy, the modernization of F-16 fighter jets, and cooperation in the field of drones.
The tripartite movement follows a ceasefire between Pakistan and India last May and tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, which Turkey and Qatar attempted to mediate without decisive results.
Source: Bloomberg
