Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye's defence pact brings together 1.4 million troops and 3,400 aircraft
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have brought together some of the Muslim world's largest military forces under a joint defence agreement, with their combined strength estimated at nearly 1.4 million active personnel, more than 3,400 aircraft and 6,000 tanks.
Main points
- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have nearly 1.4 million active troops combined.
- Their combined military strength includes 3,415 aircraft and 6,046 tanks.
- Türkiye's parliamentary committee has approved the defence pact, but full ratification remains pending.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have brought together some of the Muslim world's largest military forces under a joint defence agreement, with their combined strength estimated at nearly 1.4 million active personnel, more than 3,400 aircraft and 6,000 tanks.
The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026, pledging to treat an armed attack on any one of them as an attack on all three.
The agreement, signed in Saudi Arabia by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aims to strengthen regional security amid growing tensions in the Middle East.
Figures from the 2026 Global Firepower Index show that the three countries have approximately 1.39 million active military personnel, 3,415 aircraft, 815 fighter aircraft and 6,046 main battle tanks.
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Pakistan contributes the largest number of active troops, with 660,000 personnel, followed by Türkiye with 481,000 and Saudi Arabia with 247,000.
Pakistan also leads in military aircraft, with 1,397, compared with Türkiye's 1,101 and Saudi Arabia's 917.
Türkiye has the largest naval fleet of the three, with 192 assets, followed by Pakistan's 120 and Saudi Arabia's 32. Together, their naval forces account for 344 assets.
Their estimated combined annual defence budgets total $124.4 billion, with Saudi Arabia contributing the largest share at $63.9 billion, followed by Türkiye at $51.4 billion and Pakistan at $9.1 billion.
The agreement also brings together different military strengths. Pakistan is a nuclear-armed state, Türkiye has NATO's second-largest military and an established defence industry, while Saudi Arabia provides substantial financial resources.
The pact covers military cooperation, intelligence sharing, training and defence technology. However, the combined figures represent the countries' national capabilities, not a single unified military force.
Türkiye's parliament is still considering the agreement. On October 27, its foreign affairs committee approved the pact, sending it to the full assembly for debate and a vote. Turkish officials have said the agreement is defensive and does not automatically authorise overseas troop deployments.
The agreement could deepen military cooperation among the three countries, although its practical impact will depend on parliamentary approval and how the governments implement their commitments.
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This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
