Saudi Arabia signs defence partnership agreement with France

Saudi Arabia has signed a defence partnership agreement with France, shortly after forming a trilateral defence alliance with Turkey and Pakistan.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday at the Élysée Palace in Paris by Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

The agreement aims to expand cooperation in advanced defence technologies, defence industries and military capabilities. It also provides for greater exchange of expertise in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, training and military education.

The deal comes about two weeks after Saudi Arabia signed a trilateral defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan in Mecca on August 7. The agreement, dubbed the “Mecca alliance” by the media, brings together Saudi financial resources, Turkish military technology and drones, and Pakistani military personnel and nuclear capabilities.

In a statement on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry described the agreement with France as an expansion of existing bilateral cooperation. It said the deal reflects both countries’ commitment to joint action and the exchange of expertise in areas of mutual defence interest, aimed at strengthening their national capabilities and serving their shared interests.

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