Episode Details

Three Muslim-majority countries — Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have come together and signed a mutual defence agreement — popularly called the “Mecca Pact“. What are the implications?

“The primary impact of the Pact is diplomatic and psychological. It gives a sense of security,” says Navdeep Suri, Indian diplomat and former Ambassador to UAE and Egypt, who knows the region well.

“The military impact of this could come in due course once you start seeing the convergence of their respective strengths”, he said to Sidharth Bhatia in a podcast discussion. That could see an even more militarised and adventurous Pakistan, he said.

Though India has publicly remained neutral, “it doesn't really mean that we are not watching it very carefully or not doing anything about it.” Suri said India has very good relations with the Saudis, and though Türkiye helped Pakistan with drones during Operation Sindoor, we should still engage bilaterally with them.

He said the Saudis are looking at the Mecca Pact as a “U.S.-plus scenario where they are hedging and they are creating other options for their security.”

“Turkey is extremely concerned about Israel trying to position itself as the regional hegemon,’ he said, adding, “today, whether it is the Turks, the Saudis, and Pakistanis for long have been worried that Israel could target their nuclear program”