Doha:Türkiye, alongside Qatar, Pakistan, and Indonesia, is set to sign a new memorandum of understanding in Doha, aiming to bolster defense industry cooperation, as announced by Türkiye's Defense Industries Secretariat (SSB).
According to Anadolu Agency, this memorandum will serve to enhance existing defense projects among the four nations, marking a significant step forward in Türkiye's strategy for multilateral collaboration. The efforts, coordinated by the secretariat, focus on advancing beyond the mere supply of military platforms to include joint production, technology transfer, interoperability, and supply chain integration.
In a statement, the secretariat emphasized that the defense industry partnerships, facilitated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, are crucial to Türkiye's foreign policy. Under Haluk Gorgun, the secretariat's head, there has been a notable push towards mass production and increased exports.
Since 2012, Türkiye's defense and aerospace sector has generated approximately $54 billion in exports, with over $30 billion occurring from 2023 to 2026. In 2025 alone, exports increased by 48% year-on-year, reaching over $10 billion. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) notes that Türkiye's arms exports have surged by 122% in the past five years, positioning the country as the world's 11th-largest arms supplier, with NATO allies receiving 56% of these exports.
Qatar has maintained a longstanding defense partnership with Türkiye, exemplified by the supply of Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, armored vehicles, and fast attack craft to the Qatari Armed Forces. BARQ, a joint venture between Aselsan and Barzan Holdings, has commenced local production activities in Qatar, furthering defense industry solutions.
Türkiye's collaboration with Pakistan includes the PN MILGEM Babur-class corvette project, enhancing Pakistan's shipbuilding capabilities. Meanwhile, with Indonesia, the KAPLAN MT medium-weight tank project represents a significant joint development, involving technology transfer and local production.
The planned memorandum in Doha aims to consolidate these bilateral partnerships into a cohesive multilateral framework, facilitating joint production, technology sharing, and long-term strategic alliances. This initiative is expected to expand current cooperation and open avenues for new joint defense industry projects.