US President Donald Trump welcomed a new defence agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, describing it as a “big, bold and important first step.” In remarks on Sunday, Trump said the three countries’ defence cooperation would help strengthen their collective security capabilities in a more effective and meaningful way.

The leaders of the three countries signed the military understanding, called the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, in Mecca on August 7. A central principle of the pact is that an attack on any one member state would be regarded as an attack against all three. The agreement calls for stronger political and military coordination among the participating countries.

The countries also plan joint military exercises across land, naval, air and cyber domains, alongside cooperation on drones, electronic warfare, artificial intelligence and defence technology. Analysts said the agreement carries particular significance amid continuing instability in the Middle East and regional security concerns. Turkey has said the alliance was not formed as an alternative to any existing military alliance. Discussions are also under way about the possible future inclusion of additional countries.