The Mecca Pact unites the leading oil exporter, NATO’s second-largest army and the only Muslim country with nuclear weapons.
Al Jazeera analyzes the land, air and naval power of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. The pact between the countries comes as they face rising regional tensions, including concerns about Israel’s expanding military reach and Iran’s regional influence.
The leaders of the three countries signed the Mecca Mutual Defense Agreement in August, pledging to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and declaring that an armed attack on any of the three countries would be considered an attack on all.
Together, the countries form a significant military bloc. Saudi Arabia is a major oil exporter, Turkey has the second-largest army in NATO, and Pakistan is the only Muslim country with nuclear weapons.
Combined land, air and naval forces
According to the 2026 Global Firepower Index, which ranks the defense capabilities of 145 countries worldwide, the three countries together have approximately 1.4 million active military personnel, 3,400 aircraft, 6,000 tanks and more than 340 naval assets.
The index assesses each country’s potential combat capabilities on land, sea and air, based on factors including manpower, equipment, natural resources, finances and geography.
Personnel: The three countries together have about 1.4 million active personnel, supported by large paramilitary and reserve forces. Pakistan has the largest number of active personnel with 660,000, followed by Turkey with 481,000 and Saudi Arabia with 247,000 troops.
Air Force: Together they have 3,415 military aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters, transports and military trainers. Pakistan has approximately 1,397 aircraft, followed by Turkey with 1,101 and Saudi Arabia with 917.
Ground Forces: The three countries have approximately 6,046 tanks and more than 179,000 armored vehicles, along with thousands of artillery systems and multiple rocket launchers. Pakistan has the largest number of tanks – 2,677, Turkey with 2,284, and Saudi Arabia with 1,085.
Naval Power: Their combined fleets consist of 344 naval assets, including 33 frigates, 24 corvettes, and 22 submarines. Turkey leads the list with 192 naval assets, followed by Pakistan with 120 and Saudi Arabia with 32.
Defense spending: Their combined defense budgets total about $124.4 billion a year. Saudi Arabia has the largest military budget — $63.9 billion in 2026, while Turkey has set aside $51.4 billion and Pakistan $9.1 billion, according to Global Firepower.
Auxiliary military forces
Andreas Krieg, an academic, security analyst and political risk consultant specializing in the Middle East and North Africa, said the importance of the pact lies in how the three countries’ diverse capabilities can complement each other.
“Saudi Arabia contributes capital, geography, infrastructure and political leverage. Turkey contributes an increasingly sophisticated defense-industrial base, drones, missiles, sensors, electronic warfare, naval systems and military expertise drawn from NATO,” he said.
He adds that Pakistan contributes manpower, a large professional military elite, operational experience, defense production, and nuclear capabilities.
What does the alliance mean for each country?
The deal sees Saudi Arabia diversify its defense partnerships beyond the United States, adding to Turkey’s advanced military capabilities and Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent, amid growing threats to vital maritime corridors such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Pakistan is among nine states that possess nuclear weapons, having first tested them in 1998. The country of more than 250 million people relies heavily on China for arms imports.
Turkey, which joined NATO in 1952, does not have its own nuclear weapons, but “hosts” US nuclear warheads under a NATO nuclear weapons sharing agreement.
David Des Roches, former director of the US Department of Defense’s Arabian Peninsula office, told Al Jazeera that the deal also serves to diversify Saudi arms amid the unpredictability of Western exports, as Turkey and Pakistan can supply items such as 155mm artillery shells in large quantities.
For Turkey and Pakistan, the pact opens Saudi financial markets to their defense industries – both have production capacities that exceed what their economies can afford.
Zaid M. Belbagi, managing director at Hardcastle Advisory, told Al Jazeera that the risks are high for the US. “Pakistan is a recipient of US aid, Saudi Arabia is the largest foreign buyer of US military equipment and Turkey is the second largest NATO military after the United States – so the specter of the US in this deal is quite interesting,” he said.
Krieg added that the US remains very important, especially for intelligence, advanced missile defense and advanced military technology, but he stressed that regional actors want to convert their resources into usable power, rather than buying from Washington.
“The old model was largely a centralized system, with Washington at the center and individual states relying largely on the United States for security. What is emerging now is a horizontal linkage between regional powers,” Krieg said.
Which other countries can join the pact?
Egypt is the only country whose potential membership has been publicly raised by one of the signatories. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called Egypt a “natural partner” and said he expected Cairo to join once technical issues were resolved.
Krieg believes that Egypt’s military strength, strategic geography, and control of the Suez Canal would make the deal an important addition.
However, analysts said Cairo may be wary of binding military commitments and the impact on existing agreements. “Egypt can only join if the formulation protects its aid relationship with Washington, does not undermine existing alliances and peace treaties, and preserves its freedom to decide when and where to fight,” said Karim Elgendy of Chatham House.