Jaishankar Downplays Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye Defence Pact, Says India Will Factor It Into Security Calculus
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has downplayed the immediate operational significance of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, while making it clear that India will study the new arrangement as part of its broader national security assessment.
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Jaishankar questioned what practical effect the pact has had so far, especially given the security pressures and military situations confronting all three signatories. Asked about India’s view of the agreement, he said: “There are live military situations which each of the signatories face, what has the Makkah pact done in response to that?”
His remarks came as India continues to examine the implications of the agreement not only from a security standpoint but also in the context of regional stability in West Asia. The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier said New Delhi was reviewing the pact while closely monitoring developments in the wider region.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed on August 7 after discussions involving Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the joint statement issued by the three countries, the pact is rooted in shared strategic interests and longstanding defence cooperation.
The statement says the agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence and sets out that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all three. It also envisages wider cooperation across multiple defence-related areas between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
Jaishankar said India would continue to factor in developments involving countries whose policies or actions are not favourable to New Delhi. According to him, such developments carry weight in India’s strategic calculations.
He also spoke more broadly about India’s assessment of Pakistan, describing it as a unique case because of its sustained use of terrorism against a neighbouring state. That, he said, has had a strong impact on Indian public opinion and remains a significant element in New Delhi’s strategic thinking.
On Pakistan’s relations with the United States, the External Affairs Minister pointed to the long history of ties between Islamabad and Washington, while stressing that India has developed its own relationship with the US.
Jaishankar also addressed India-China ties, saying both countries have an interest in maintaining stability, but that the situation on the border remains a key factor shaping the wider relationship. He said India must continue to strengthen its own economic and industrial capabilities even as it maintains commercial engagement with countries around the world, including China.
Referring to the period of heightened tension after the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, he said the border situation played a major role in the difficult phase that followed in bilateral relations.
Throughout his remarks, Jaishankar stressed that India would keep engaging globally while remaining firm on issues tied to its national interests and security. His comments on the Mecca pact point to New Delhi’s cautious approach toward emerging strategic alignments in its neighbourhood and in West Asia, combining diplomacy with a close watch on their possible security consequences.
