‘Islamic Nato’? Why Pakistan’s new defence pact has India on edge
A new defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey has raised questions in New Delhi over whether Islamabad could use the agreement to build wider security ties with Muslim-majority countries in India’s neighbourhood, analysts have said. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on Friday, states that an arme
A new defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey has raised questions in New Delhi over whether Islamabad could use the agreement to build wider security ties with Muslim-majority countries in India’s neighbourhood, analysts have said.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on Friday, states that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all of them.
The tripartite agreement followed a bilateral one between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed last September.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday described the pact as a possible model for a wider military alliance among Islamic countries, comparing such a grouping to Nato.
While Islamic nations are still more likely to prioritise national interests over religious solidarity, analysts say Delhi will need to be cautious because Pakistan has framed the pact as a potential platform for broader cooperation.
Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter jets perform at a rehearsal in Islamabad in March 2024. Bangladesh has been in talks to buy these jets as part of its military modernisation plans. Photo: AFPThe development comes as Bangladesh explores buying JF-17 Thunder fighter jets – co-developed by China and Pakistan – from Islamabad as part of Dhaka’s military modernisation plans.