Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia Form New Alliance

In Pakistan, around 9 August 2026, Turkey joined Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in a defence pact dubbed the ‘Mecca Pact’, described by the Straits Times as a hedge against US defence limits. Pakistan said the new pact is ‘purely defensive’ and open to others, and Turkey said it could be widened to include Egypt.

The Times of Israel wrote that Pakistan wants to turn the pact into an Islamic anti-Israel NATO, and the Jerusalem Post wrote that it complicates peace between Saudi Arabia and Israel and will boost India-Israel ties. The Indian Express examined the pact’s text and its subtext for India, and Der Spiegel asked whether a Sunni NATO is emerging.