Why the Mecca pact poses questions for China
Individually, all the three countries have a preference for stronger ties with the US than with China
Updated At : 07:05 AM Sep 08, 2026 IST
September began with a leaders' summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a China-dominated regional grouping, and will soon see a summit of another China-dominated international gathering, the BRICS. In this context, it is worth examining the creation last month of a new regional bloc, the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, comprising Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and the implications for Chinese foreign and security policy.
