By Bosphorus News Defense Desk
Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia discussed measures to provide and deploy agreed military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia at an October 5 meeting in Riyadh, the Turkish Defense Ministry disclosed on October 8. They also established the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement's initial secretariat and reviewed defense industry cooperation.
The ministry also outlined military talks with Greece, exercises in Cyprus and the Black Sea, NATO activities and a defense cooperation roadmap with France.
Mecca Pact: Deployment Measures Discussed
The Strategic Political and Defense Committee reviewed regional security and collective defense measures in Riyadh. Its discussions covered arrangements for forces and capabilities intended for Saudi Arabia and the alliance's administrative structure.
The ministry named no units or deployment sites and did not announce a troop dispatch. Any Turkish contribution would be subject to constitutional and legal requirements.
The three governments will continue developing political, military, administrative and defense industry mechanisms. The announcement expands on Mecca Pact's rapid-deployment planning; no deployment order was announced.
Military Contacts With Greece
A delegation from Türkiye's National Defense University is visiting the Hellenic National Defence College in Athens from October 7 to 9 under the countries' 2026 confidence-building plan.
Military confidence-building talks are scheduled for October 9 in Crete, followed by a Greek Navy delegation's visit to the Turkish Naval Forces Command from October 13 to 15.
The contacts continue despite disputes over Aegean maritime jurisdiction and airspace. No agreement was announced ahead of the Crete meeting.
Exercises in Cyprus and the Black Sea
The Şehit Yüzbaşı Cengiz Topel Akdeniz Fırtınası exercise is scheduled for October 12–16 in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
NUSRET-2026 is underway in İzmir Bay and off Karadeniz Ereğli from October 6–16. NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group Two is participating alongside the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group, which brings together Türkiye, Bulgaria and Romania.
During the Black Sea group's 12th activation, Turkish minehunter TCG Akçay, Bulgarian vessels Struma and Captain Dimitar Dobrev, and Romanian vessel Dumitrescu are due at Karadeniz Ereğli on October 11. Turkish combat and support aircraft are also scheduled to train over the Black Sea on October 9.
NUSRET-2026 was scheduled before the recent attacks on commercial vessels. The ministry made no connection between the exercise and those incidents.
NATO Activities and Live-Fire Exercise
Turkish personnel are taking part in Carpathian Arc in Romania, Steadfast Duel activities in Italy, the United Kingdom and Norway, the On Guard command-post exercise in Istanbul and multinational mine warfare training in South Korea.
Türkiye is scheduled to join Mare Aperto in Italy from October 13 to 25. TCG Burgazada, assigned to NATO Standing Maritime Group Two, is due to visit an Italian port from October 10 to 12.
The Armed Forces plan a distinguished observer day for Ateş Serbest-2026 in Polatlı on October 15. The program includes live firing with 95 types and calibers of weapons and systems, with 104 types and calibers on display.
France Defense Roadmap
Türkiye and France signed a defense cooperation roadmap on October 3. It covers security consultations, intelligence sharing, hybrid threats, air defense, joint training, military education exchanges, port visits and defense industry contacts.
Ankara and Paris plan to alternate meetings, beginning in the final quarter of 2026 subject to agreement. No weapons purchase or troop deployment was announced.
Naval Research and Other Contacts
TCG Alemdar is taking part in research around the Koyun Islands and Didim from October 8 to 18. The mission, conducted with the Culture and Tourism Ministry and Dokuz Eylül University, concerns archaeological material from Ottoman-era shipwrecks.
Defense Minister Yaşar Güler was scheduled to meet Albania's defense minister and Qatar's ambassador on October 8. Türkiye's chief of general staff spoke by telephone with his Kuwaiti counterpart on October 6, while the naval commander attended the October 6–8 Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium in Italy.
Sources: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of National Defense, Bosphorus News review and reporting.