Key Takeaways
- Four nations sign a memorandum of understanding to strengthen defence industry cooperation.
- The pact aims to move beyond military platform supply to joint production and technology transfer.
- Turkish Defence Industries Secretariat coordinates efforts to boost exports and strategic partnerships.
Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, and Indonesia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance defence industry cooperation, according to a statement from Turkey's Defence Industries Secretariat (SSB).
The MoU, signed in Doha, builds on existing defence projects among the four countries and marks a new step in Turkey's approach to multilateral cooperation in the defence sector.
The agreement focuses on joint production, technology transfer, interoperability, and the integration of supply chains, aiming to move beyond the mere supply of military platforms.
Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hasan Al Sani, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Indonesian Deputy Defence Minister Yusuf Jauhari were present at the signing ceremony.
Efforts to strengthen defence industry partnerships are seen as strategic elements supporting Turkey's foreign policy, according to the SSB.
Haluk Gorgun, the head of the SSB, has been instrumental in driving these efforts, with the sector seeing significant growth in recent years.
According to the Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporters' Association, Turkey's defence and aerospace sector has seen approximately $54 billion in exports from 2012 through the first nine months of 2026.
More than $30 billion of that total took place in 2023-2026, accounting for more than 55% of the sector's exports over the period.
Defence and aerospace exports rose 48% year-on-year in 2025 to top $10 billion, while exports over the latest 12-month period surpassed $11 billion for the first time, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
