The Mecca Pact: What Do We Actually Know?

Asia Geopolitics | Security | South Asia There are few concrete details available about the joint defense agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye. In the latest episode of The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast, hosts Katie Putz and Ankit Panda discuss the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement – a collective security agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye in early August. They dive into the motivations for the pact on the part of all three members and the role (or lack thereof) of nuclear deterrence within it. They also compare it to other collective security arrangements like the CSTO. There are few concrete details available about the pact, but given the tumultuous regions its members span, it’ll be tested soon. You can subscribe to The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify; and watch the episode on YouTube.