The defence pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan marks a significant shift in the security politics of West Asia and South Asia. Its importance lies less in the immediate prospect of a three-country war machine than in the message it sends: countries that once depended heavily on external security guarantees are beginning to build alternative arrangements of their own, using religion as a basis.

For Saudi Arabia, this is fundamentally a hedge. The kingdom has long relied on the United States for security, but the upheaval surrounding the Iran conflict has exposed the limits and uncertainties of that dependence. Riyadh now has compelling reasons to diversify its strategic partnerships. Turkey offers military capability and a powerful defence industry; Pakistan offers a large, experienced military, an established security relationship with the kingdom, and a nuclear shield.

For Pakistan, the agreement is an even more valuable diplomatic gain. Its relationship with Saudi Arabia is being reinforced while Turkey, already one of Islamabad’s closest defence partners, is brought into the same framework. That gives Pakistan additional strategic depth at a time when its........

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