Turkey and Saudi Arabia cement strategic partnership with joint defence pact

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently performed Friday prayers together in Mecca, alongside Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This symbolic gathering underscores the deepening strategic partnership between Turkey and Saudi Arabia, which has seen a significant mending of previously turbulent relations. The recent signing of a historic joint defence agreement between the three Muslim powers establishes a trilateral security framework, bringing them under a single security umbrella for the first time.

Historically, Riyadh and Ankara have contended with low-level tensions over competing claims to leadership of the Sunni Muslim world, with roots tracing back to the Ottoman-Saudi war in the 19th century. Despite cordial relations for many decades after formally establishing ties in the 1930s, deeper disagreements emerged following the Arab Spring in 2010. Divergences were evident in their approaches to regional movements, with Turkey supporting Mohamed Morsi in Egypt and siding with Qatar during the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia and its allies in 2017. Tensions peaked in 2018 with the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, leading to an unofficial boycott of Turkish goods by Saudi Arabia.

The rift began to mend in 2022, initiated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Ankara. This rapprochement was facilitated by a Turkish court transferring the Khashoggi murder case to Saudi Arabia. The reconciliation occurred amidst a broader regional shift towards diplomacy, including restored ties with Iran and Egypt. For Turkey, mending relations with Gulf states was crucial for economic stabilization amid a fragile economy. Since then, the two nations have signed deals in technology, defence, and renewable energy, with Saudi Arabia agreeing to purchase Turkish drones in a significant defence contract. Their alignment has also extended to shared understandings on issues in Syria, Libya, and Sudan.