Makkah Defence Alliance Formed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan

The first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee under the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement concluded in Istanbul on Monday, August 31, 2026, with Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan officially naming their new alliance the Makkah Defence Alliance and agreeing on practical steps to establish its institutional structure. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced the name and outlined the alliance's principles at a press conference following the talks, which brought together the foreign ministers, defense ministers, and top military officials from all three nations.