For decades, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states relied on Washington’s defensive shield, while it in turn relied on them for access, energy and influence. Riyadh’s decision to sign a mutual defence agreement with Turkey and Pakistan is the clearest sign yet of that shift. But the significance of the Mecca pact goes beyond a new regional security arrangement. Three middle powers – a Gulf energy giant, a Nato member and nuclear-armed South Asian state – are taking steps to reduce their reliance on US-dominated security architecture and build their own collective defence framework. Such independent alliances among middle powers have been rare since the early Cold War, making the pact a potential model for other countries.