Muslim NATO? How Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi defence pact may threaten India and reshape Middle East
Has a Muslim NATO emerged? How may the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi defence pact threaten India and bring a paradigm shift in the geopolitics of the Middle East and South East Asia? Explained.
EXPLAINERHas a Muslim NATO emerged? How may the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi defence pact threaten India and bring a paradigm shift in the geopolitics of the Middle East and South East Asia? Explained. The Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi Arabia defence deal may emerge as a Muslim NATO. (Representative Image)Add DNA as a Preferred SourceTRENDING NOWGold, silver prices today, February 8, 2026: Check city-wise rates in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and moreBomb threat to 9 Delhi schools, Bomb squad deployedSourav Ganguly slams PCB's India boycott threat, asks 'backing out of a World Cup for what?'Who is Shivam Mishra? 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How may it undermine the significance of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation? How may a Muslim NATO impact India's security and bring a paradigm shift to the geopolitical dynamics of South-East Asia? These questions are being asked after NATO member Turkey signed a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Friday, August 7, 2026. It bears special significance as Ankara may add a new dimension to the Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, signed in 2025. It is also a matter of concern for India because Turkey may integrate its drone manufacturing facilities with Islamabad's manpower and Saudi Arabia's massive investment. Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence pactThough the Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi Arabia alliance will apparently work to safeguard the crucial shipping lanes of the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, analysts believe it may change the security scenario and geopolitical ground realities of South East Asia and the Middle East. With a self-reliant security framework, armed by Turkey and Pakistan and funded by Riyadh, the coalition may hedge against shifting US foreign policies and preferences and reduce its dependence on Washington. (Muslim NATO: AI-generated infographic)The proposed tripartite defence deal may also impact the security interests of countries across the Gulf, Mediterranean, and South Asia. It may develop as a fulcrum of security in Middle Eastern diplomacy. Though it may be dubbed a Muslim NATO, it is most likely to hit Iran's defence, which has shared tense relations with Riyadh and disturb the delicate balance in the power struggle of the Muslim world, the Ummah. As Saudi Arabia and Iran represent two divergent and competing Islamic branches of Sunni and Shia, with Turkey trying to emerge as the caliph to regain the lost glory of the Ottoman Empire, the agreement is sure to send seismic waves through regional diplomatic circles. Muslim UmmahAnalysts suggest that Ankara has joined hands with Pakistan to buttress its position in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, or the OIC. As Riyadh and Tehran dominate the 57-member bloc, Turkey wants to bolster its position. After the rise of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey moved swiftly towards radical Islam. The Turkish president now nurtures the ambition of becoming the head of the Umma. It is interesting to note that Turkey, a NATO member, has opinions that are diagonally opposed to those of another member state, the US. Once a close partner, Pakistan lost its significance after the Pentagon pulled out from Afghanistan and Kabul fell to the Taliban. India has emerged as a new power centre in South Asia with its capacity and intention to checkmate China; Washington must focus on Delhi. A Muslim NATO will not only undermine the 32-member defence alliance, but it will also pose a threat to the US if it moves closer to Beijing. Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi allianceThe three-member defence deal may pose a much graver threat to India. Turkey exhibited its preference and tactical shift to Pakistan by supplying drones and aeroplanes and sending its naval ships to Islamabad before and during Operation Sindoor, when India and Pakistan clashed. New Delhi was dismayed when an IC-130 plane of the Turkish Air Force landed in Islamabad on April 27, 2025, and a Turkish Navy anti-submarine corvette docked at Karachi port on May 2, 2025, amid escalating tension. Earlier in 2023, Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar inked an agreement with Pakistan’s National Aerospace Science and Technology Park to jointly develop UAVs. Now the three Islamic countries have joined hands; one of them, Pakistan, has fought five wars or conflicts with India, and one of them, Turkey, has supplied arms and ammunition to the latter. New Delhi has reasons for concern. It is yet to be seen how it manages the emerging potential threat. Find your daily dose of AllLatest NewsincludingSports News,Entertainment News,Lifestyle News, explainers & more. Stay updated, Stay informed-Follow DNA on WhatsApp.