Left Alone

The prospects of Turkey joining a Saudi Arabia-Pakistan security arrangement that mirrors NATO’s collective defence principle could be a cause of major strategic concern for India.

- 

Ankara is in advanced talks with Riyadh and Islamabad to join the pact which is in line with NATO’s Article 5, under which an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. Under the emerging division of responsibilities, Saudi Arabia would act as the primary financial backer; Pakistan would bring in its nuclear deterrent, ballistic missile capabilities and military manpower, while Turkey would contribute operational expertise and its rapidly growing domestic defence industry which has set its focus on drone warfare technology.

Turkey’s possible inclusion in the alliance is particularly noteworthy given its status as a longstanding member of the NATO and the holder of NATO’s second-largest military after the US. Its participation would lend considerable military might and political weight to the pact. While Saudi Arabia and Turkey have historically competed for influence in the Sunni Moslem world, they share common concerns about Shia-majority Iran’s regional role. They are also aligned in their support for a stable, Sunni-led Syria and in advocating Palestinian statehood.