Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday that talks have taken place on a possible defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, but no agreement has been signed so far.
Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul, he said the region needs stronger cooperation and trust and added that many regional problems could be solved if countries were “sure of each other.”
His remarks came after a Bloomberg report last week said Turkiye was at an advanced stage of discussions to join the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The report said the talks could end in a deal. The SMDA, signed on September 17, 2025, during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia treats an attack on either country as an attack on both.
Bloomberg said Turkiye was considering joining the pact because of concerns about the reliability of the United States and its growing alignment with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan and Turkiye already enjoy long-standing defence ties. Ankara is building corvettes for the Pakistan Navy, has upgraded Pakistan Air Force F-16 jets and shares drone technology with Islamabad.
Pakistani officials link recent defence confidence to the May 2025 conflict with India. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Pakistan is in talks with several countries on defence agreements, including the sale of fighter jets.
Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Haraj has also confirmed talks over exporting JF-17 Thunder jets.
Pakistan and India fought an 87-hour war last May which ended in a US-brokered ceasefire. Islamabad says the conflict proved the strength of its defence partnerships.
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