Pakistan, Saudi Arabia & Türkiye Form World’s 4th-Largest Military Power After Makkah Pact
LAHORE, August 25, 2026: Former provincial minister Ibrahim Murad has said Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have collectively emerged as the world’s fourth-largest military power following the signing of a defence agreement in Makkah.
According to Murad, the three countries have a combined defence budget of approximately $125.1 billion. Saudi Arabia’s defence expenditure stands at around $83.2 billion, Türkiye’s at nearly $30 billion, while Pakistan’s is approximately $11.9 billion.
He said the combined defence spending places the three countries behind only the United States, China and Russia, describing the Makkah defence accord as a significant development toward strengthening collective security in the Muslim world.
Murad said the strategic strengths of the three countries are highly complementary, with Saudi Arabia contributing substantial economic resources, Türkiye offering advanced defence technology and Pakistan providing extensive military and strategic capabilities.
He emphasised that greater cooperation in joint military training, intelligence sharing, defence technology and capacity building could help establish stronger regional deterrence.
The former minister stressed that the Makkah agreement should not be interpreted as an aggressive alliance against any country. Instead, he described it as an expression of collective defence, mutual security and strategic cooperation.
“If translated into practical and sustained defence cooperation, the Makkah agreement can not only strengthen the defence capabilities of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, but also lay the foundation for greater defence self-reliance, strategic coordination and unity across the Muslim world,” Murad said.
He added that closer defence collaboration could create new opportunities for technological partnerships, indigenous defence production and joint military capabilities, potentially contributing to greater stability and security across the region.