Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan, and Indonesia have signed an agreement to boost defence cooperation and strengthen defensive capabilities.
The Turkish Defence Ministry said in a statement that the countries signed the “Badr Memorandum of Understanding” in Doha as a sign of their desire to further deepen cooperation and develop partnerships.
The accord seeks to foster cooperation in military production, boost military capabilities, and collaboration in technical military training, research and development, the ministry said.
“By leveraging the unique military production capabilities of each country, the initiative will facilitate cooperation and integration, enhance defense industrial capacities, and enable the fulfillment of the needs of allied and friendly nations,” it added.
Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a robust defence industry, has been helping Gulf nations, including Qatar, where it has a military base, bolster their defences amid the Iran war.
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In August, it signed a mutual defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, under which an attack on one party constitutes an attack on all.
Ankara also maintains close ties with Indonesia, particularly in the defence industry.
The ministry said the Badr accord would strengthen ties between the countries’ defence industries and bolster collaboration to promote security and achieve shared objectives.
The chairman of Turkey’s Defence Industry Presidency, Haluk Gorgun, said the accord formed the foundation of a “strategic cooperation” to develop joint production and technology.
Gorgun said in a statement that “Technology sharing, joint development and strengthening domestic production capabilities lie at the heart of sustainable defence industry. As Turkey, we value partnerships that go beyond off-the-shelf procurement models, that foster the development of a nation’s own human capital and industrial infrastructure.”
“We believe that the Badr Memorandum of Understanding will contribute to transforming the complementary capabilities of Qatar, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Turkey into concrete projects,” he added.
