ISTANBUL — A strong era of regional cooperation is taking shape as Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia bring their top political and military leadership together in Istanbul for the first high-level meeting of the Makkah Defence Alliance.
National Defence Minister Yaşar Güler meets Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces (COAS & CDF) of Pakistan
Minister Yaşar Güler continues bilateral meetings ahead of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee Meeting… pic.twitter.com/Ej28JXVp2h
— Pakistan Armed Forces News 🇵🇰 (@PakistanFauj) August 31, 2026
The landmark gathering signals a major step toward transforming the alliance into a strong, coordinated and institutionalised security framework, with the three countries preparing to define its strategic roadmap and practical areas of defence cooperation.
The momentum accelerated ahead of the meeting when Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler held separate talks with Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Turkey’s Ministry of Defence released footage of the meetings, reflecting the deepening defence partnership between Ankara and Islamabad. Both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral military cooperation.
The Istanbul summit follows the August 7 formation of the Makkah Defence Alliance, bringing Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia together under a new platform designed to enhance political coordination, defence cooperation and strategic security ties.
The alliance’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee is now set to take the next major step. Bringing together the foreign ministers, defence ministers and military chiefs of the three countries, the committee is expected to develop an operational roadmap and identify concrete avenues for closer military collaboration.
Turkey’s delegation features Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.
Pakistan is represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Saudi Arabia has sent Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Chief of General Staff General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.
With the top diplomatic, defence and military leadership of all three nations assembled under one framework, the Istanbul meeting could become a defining moment for trilateral security cooperation.
The talks are expected to lay the foundation for stronger institutional coordination, closer military engagement and practical defence partnerships between the three countries.
