Geoeconomics Replaces Geopolitics: The Myth of an 'Islamic NATO'

• The concept of an 'Islamic NATO' combining Saudi funds, Pakistan's manpower, and Turkiye's technology is largely symbolic due to deep internal rivalries and geopolitical equations.
• Turkiye's President Erdogan's 'Neo-Ottomanism' aims to restore Turkish influence, but Arab nations resist renewed dominance.
• Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) in 2025, with Riyadh reportedly using Pakistani troops as mercenaries due to its own military's inexperience.
• Saudi Arabia prioritizes strategic economic ties with India, viewing New Delhi as a long-term partner, and avoids alliances that could strain these relations or disrupt the US-Israel axis.
• Geoeconomics now drives geopolitics, with Saudi-India relations leading to a free trade agreement with the GCC, while Turkiye, Pakistan, and Iran remain stuck in ideological pasts.