Qatar, Turkiye, Indonesia and Pakistan have signed a new defence industry agreement to develop and produce military equipment and defence systems collaboratively.
The Memorandum of Understanding, which seeks to strengthen defence industry cooperation among the three countries, was signed in Doha on Wednesday.
The agreement is known as the Badr Memorandum of Understanding.
The Qatari Defence Ministry said the agreement aims to “foster cooperation in the field of defence manufacturing, enhance defence capabilities among the four countries.”
The agreement comes as the war launched by the US and Israel on Iran continues to shape security calculations across the Middle East.
It had deepened concerns among countries in the Gulf about missile and drone threats. It also raised concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the risks of relying heavily on external powers for security.
It also comes amid increasing tension between Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni rebel group, Ansar Allah, popularly called the Houthis.
Both sides have traded strikes since August. The crisis is considered a new front in the Middle East war.
According to the Qatari Defence Ministry, the new defense initiative will also “promote collaboration in technical defence training, as well as in research and development areas.”
The endgame, it noted, is also to contribute to the “creation of solutions and industries worthy of the evolution of modern defences.”
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The agreement also seeks to help the three countries strengthen their domestic defence industries and develop more integrated manufacturing capabilities.
Experts say each of the four countries signed the agreement to bring its own resources and skill set to the table.
Turkiye, which has been expanding its domestic defence industry, could contribute technological expertise and a mature defence industry.
Pakistan and Indonesia offer manufacturing capacity, skilled workforces and their domestic markets while Qatar could provide investment potential.
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