International Analysis

Mecca Pact Under Pressure: Can Saudi Arabia Rely on Pakistan and Türkiye When Crisis Hits?

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Saudi Arabia’s new defense pact with Pakistan and Türkiye is already facing an early test after Riyadh said it intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca. The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement promises that an attack on one member is an attack on all, yet so far both Islamabad and Ankara have responded mainly with statements of solidarity rather than new military deployments. That gap between promise and action is raising questions over whether the pact can deliver meaningful collective defense, or whether it risks becoming a “paper tiger.” India is also watching closely, with New Delhi continuing to portray Pakistan as a source of regional instability even as Islamabad positions itself as a security guarantor for Saudi Arabia. In this episode, we examine the pact’s first major test, Türkiye and Pakistan’s reluctance to commit forces and what it could mean for Saudi security, India’s threat perceptions and the wider regional balance. *Recorded on October 1, 2026 at 2pm Taiwan Standard Time Host: Wen-Ti Sung Producer: Suvam Pal Videographer: Damon Lin Our guests: Guermantes Lailari - Jewish Policy Center Senior Non-Resident Fellow Sumit Kumar - Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Visiting Fellow at National Chengchi University