External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has characterised the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as having limited near-term relevance, raising questions about the pact's tangible outcomes given the active military challenges each signatory currently faces. When questioned about the pact's reception in India at a Delhi event, he noted that all parties to the agreement are confronting active military situations.
Jaishankar made clear that the issue would not be set aside. He noted that the accord would be weighed against the country's wider security considerations, particularly in relation to nations whose stances are perceived as being at odds with its interests. He indicated that every factor carries weight in his assessment, and that certain matters must be allowed to unfold in their own time. He noted that actions taken by any party holding an unfavourable stance toward India factor into that country's strategic assessments.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was formalised on 7 August by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye following negotiations between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The trilateral declaration described the pact as grounded in mutual strategic priorities and an established history of defence collaboration. The pact aims to bolster shared defence among the three nations, establishing that a military assault on any one of them will be treated as an assault on all.
The joint statement noted that the agreement also covers strengthening defence ties across all domains between the three nations. The agreement lays out a structure for shared defence commitments and expanded armed cooperation between the three nations. The development further advances the growing defence ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
At first, India approached the accord with restraint. The Ministry of External Affairs announced on 7 August that it was keeping a close watch on the situation as it unfolded. The trilateral agreement is under close observation by the Ministry of External Affairs, according to spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
On 11 August, the Ministry of External Affairs released a fuller statement, indicating that the country was reviewing the accord through the lens of national security, as well as broader regional peace and stability. At a twice-weekly press conference, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that the country was assessing the matter through the lens of national security as well as broader regional peace and stability. Jaiswal further stated that the country would pursue all necessary steps to protect its national interests. India's foreign ministry stated that the country was keeping a close watch on unfolding events in the West Asia conflict.
Jaishankar's remarks indicate that India is treating the agreement as one element within a broader strategic calculus, rather than as an immediate transformation of the military landscape.
Jaishankar also voiced pointed objections about Pakistan during a conversation about its ties with the United States. He argued that Pakistan holds a distinct place among nations, claiming that few if any other states deploy non-state armed groups against a neighbour with such frequency and intent. He stated that the situation stands apart because no other nation currently employs acts of political violence against a neighbouring state with comparable consistency and frequency, a reality that shapes domestic public attitudes.
The remarks came in reply to an inquiry about relations between Pakistan and the United States. He pointed to the longstanding bilateral ties between the two countries, while also drawing attention to the separate relationship India has built with the United States. The foreign minister addressed ties between the two nations, noting a shared interest in preserving bilateral stability while underlining that conditions along the border remain foundational to the overall relationship.
Compared with China, India's shift toward industrialisation began later and advanced at a slower rate. He argued that the country had foregone roughly five decades of potential industrial and manufacturing growth, beginning in the 1960s. Relations between India and China deteriorated notably from mid-2020 through late 2024, a period he attributed primarily to tensions along the two countries' shared border zones.
Jaishankar noted that the two nations represent substantial economies and serve as key trading partners for one another, adding that India's commercial engagement should extend across all global markets, China included. The country maintains trade and commercial ties across the globe. He noted that handling these matters with assurance and maintaining a firm position, as the country had done along the border, remained a priority.
