US President Donald Trump has welcomed the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Turkiye defence pact, describing it as a “big, bold, and important first step” and saying the agreement reflected the coming together of countries in the Middle East.“Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.He said the pact showed that “the Middle East is coming together” and would enable countries in the region to defend themselves “in a more meaningful way”.“Congratulations to the Great Leadership of the three Nations mentioned. THIS IS A BIG, BOLD, AND IMPORTANT FIRST STEP — WOW!” Trump said.The endorsement comes as India said it is examining the implications of the trilateral defence arrangement from the perspectives of its national security as well as regional peace and stability.The pact, signed in Makkah by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, provides that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all.The agreement seeks to strengthen collective deterrence and defence cooperation among the three countries, which have cited shared strategic interests, longstanding defence ties and historical links as the basis for the arrangement.India’s response to the pact had evolved from initial caution to a more pointed assessment of its possible implications.On August 11, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was examining the agreement “both from the perspective of India’s national security and considerations of regional peace and stability”.“As far as this agreement is concerned, we are examining its implications both from the perspective of India’s national security and considerations of regional peace and stability,” Jaiswal said at the bi-weekly media briefing.He also underlined India’s determination to protect its interests amid continuing developments in West Asia.“India remains fully committed to safeguarding its national interests and will take all necessary measures in this regard,” he said.The trilateral arrangement assumes significance against the backdrop of expanding defence cooperation between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia’s efforts to deepen security partnerships as it recalibrates its regional strategic posture.For New Delhi, the inclusion of Pakistan in a collective security framework with two influential West Asian powers is particularly significant at a time of continuing conflict and shifting geopolitical alignments in the region.Trump’s backing of the agreement adds further international weight to a security arrangement that brings together Pakistan, with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, two influential players in the broader West Asian strategic landscape.The pact also builds on the closer Saudi-Pakistan security relationship. Last year, the two countries signed a bilateral defence agreement under which aggression against either was to be considered aggression against both.For India, the emerging architecture remains under close examination, with the government yet to offer a detailed assessment of how the trilateral commitment could affect its strategic interests.