Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkey Discuss Expansion of Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia on 13 May 2026

Key facts

• Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced that Qatar and Turkey could join the existing strategic defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
• Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in September 2025, which stipulates that aggression against one signatory is treated as aggression against the other.
• The proposed expansion aims to establish a broader regional security and economic framework, frequently described as a potential Islamic North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
• A Pakistani military contingent recently arrived at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia as part of ongoing joint military and regional security cooperation.
• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India is closely monitoring the development for its implications on national security and regional stability.