Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia are moving towards a new defence manufacturing partnership, with a memorandum of understanding expected to be signed in Doha to expand joint production and technology transfers.
The agreement will build on existing defence cooperation between the four countries and pave the way for closer collaboration in manufacturing, supply chains and military technology.
Turkey's Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) said in a statement on Tuesday that the proposed agreement represented a new step in Ankara's approach to multilateral defence cooperation.
The agency said its efforts were increasingly focused on moving beyond the supply of defence equipment towards joint production, technology transfers, greater interoperability and the integration of supply chains.
It added that defence industry cooperation was a strategic component of Turkish foreign policy, with efforts to expand mass production and exports gaining momentum under SSB President Haluk Görgün.
The announcement coincided with an official visit to Qatar by Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, who arrived in Doha on Tuesday.
According to Turkey's Defence Ministry, Güler was received at the airport by Qatar's air force commander Faisal bin Khalid Al Ghanim, Turkish Ambassador to Qatar Yakup Caymazoğlu and Turkish military attachés stationed in Doha.
Turkey's defence exports surge
The proposed partnership comes amid rapid growth in Turkey's defence and aerospace industries, which have emerged as major contributors to the country's exports.
According to data from the Turkish Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporters' Association, the sector generated approximately $54 billion in exports between 2012 and the end of September 2026.
More than $30 billion of that total was recorded between 2023 and September 2026, accounting for over 55 percent of the sector's exports during the period.
Defence and aerospace exports rose by 48 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, exceeding $10 billion.
Exports also surpassed $11 billion over the most recent 12-month period for the first time.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Turkey's arms exports increased by 122 percent over the past five years, making it the world's sixth-largest arms supplier.
Around 56 percent of Turkey's defence and aerospace exports are destined for NATO member states.
Joint production and technology transfers with Qatar
Qatar has been a key partner in Turkey's defence industry for several years, with cooperation covering armed drones, armoured vehicles and naval equipment.
Among the Turkish-made systems already in service with Qatar's armed forces are Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, armoured vehicles and fast attack craft.
In recent years, Qatar's Barzan Holdings, which is affiliated with the country's Ministry of Defence, has signed cooperation agreements with several Turkish defence companies, including Aselsan, STM and MKE.
One of the most prominent examples is Barq, a joint venture established in Qatar by Aselsan and Barzan Holdings.
The company has begun assembling, manufacturing and calibrating SARP remotely controlled weapon systems and electro-optical equipment.
Turkish defence projects in Qatar have also created opportunities for the two countries to jointly provide defence industry solutions to third countries.
Warships with Pakistan, tanks with Indonesia
Turkey's defence cooperation with Pakistan has focused heavily on naval manufacturing, particularly the MILGEM warship project for the Pakistani navy.
The programme involves four Babur-class corvettes, with Turkish defence company ASFAT serving as the main contractor.
The first two vessels were built in Istanbul, while the remaining two were constructed at the Karachi Shipyard in Pakistan.
The project also involved upgrading production infrastructure at the Karachi facility and transferring shipbuilding and engineering expertise to Pakistani personnel.
These measures helped strengthen Pakistan's domestic naval manufacturing capabilities alongside the delivery of the vessels.
Meanwhile, Turkey's defence partnership with Indonesia has centred on the development of the Kaplan MT medium tank.
The tank was jointly designed by Turkish defence manufacturer FNSS and Indonesia's PT Pindad under an intergovernmental agreement between Turkey's Presidency of Defence Industries and Indonesia's Defence Ministry.
Following the delivery of prototypes and the first batches of tanks manufactured in Turkey, PT Pindad has continued local production under a technology transfer arrangement.