Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday that ‍talks have been held ‌on ‍a possible defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, but no agreement has been signed, Daily Sabah reported.

“At present, there are discussions and talks underway, but no agreement has yet been signed,” Fidan was quoted as saying by the Turkish daily.

Responding at a news conference in Istanbul to a question about whether there might be such an alliance, Fidan pointed to what ‌he said was a need for broader regional cooperation and trust, ‍and added that regional ‍issues could ‍be resolved if ‍relevant countries would “be sure of each other.”

“This is an important question,” he said, emphasising the importance of security and actors trusting each other.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “vision is broader, more comprehensive and aimed at establishing a larger platform,” he added.

Media reports, including Bloomberg News, reported recently that Turkiye was seeking to join the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, citing people familiar with the matter.

Ankara enjoys warm ties with both Riyadh and Islamabad, while already cooperating notably with the latter in the domain of defence.

Pakistan recently received a new corvette from Turkiye, built under the MILGEM programme.

The SMDA, signed in September last year, treats an attack on either Pakistan or Saudi Arabia as an act of aggression against both, a provision comparable to Nato’s collective defence principle, the Bloomberg report said.

According to the Bloomberg report, Ankara is seeking to strengthen its defence posture through closer alignment with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as the three countries’ strategic interests increasingly overlap across South Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa.

Analysts cited in the report said Turkiye’s possible entry could affect the regional balance of power, with Saudi Arabia bringing financial strength, Pakistan contributing military manpower and strategic capabilities, and Turkiye adding combat experience and a growing defence industry.

Bloomberg added that Turkiye views the pact as a strategic hedge amid questions over US policy and uncertainty about Nato’s future role, and that an expanded alliance could lead to a new regional security alignment.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the SMDA on September 17 during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh, where he and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the agreement at the Royal Court.

Senior civil and military officials from both sides attended the signing ceremony.

Weeks after the pact, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the National Assembly that several Arab and Muslim countries had expressed interest in signing similar defence agreements with Pakistan, and that the framework could expand to include more partners.

Pakistan and Turkiye already maintain close military cooperation, including naval shipbuilding projects, upgrades of Pakistan Air Force fighter jets, drone collaboration and discussions on participation in Turkiye’s Kaan fifth-generation fighter programme.