Defense and aerospace drive half of Ankara’s export growth in first half

ANKARA  

Ankara accounted for more than 40 percent of Türkiye’s export growth in the first six months of 2026, while the defense and aerospace industry generated half of the capital’s export increase, according to a report by the Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO).

The report showed that Ankara maintained its position as Türkiye’s fourth-largest exporting province, recording $9.08 billion in exports during the first half of the year. The capital’s exports rose 27.5 percent from $7.12 billion in the same period of 2025.

Of the $4.7 billion increase in Türkiye’s exports during the January–June period, nearly $2 billion came from Ankara alone, meaning the city accounted for approximately 40 percent of the country’s total export growth.

The United States, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and China were Ankara’s top export destinations during the period.

The report also highlighted a growing concentration of Ankara’s exports in a limited number of markets. While the share of Türkiye’s top 20 export markets in total exports declined from 65.4 percent to 64.6 percent, the corresponding figure for Ankara increased from 63.8 percent to 72.4 percent.

According to ASO, the defense and aerospace industry was the main driver of the capital’s export performance, accounting for half of Ankara’s export growth in the first half of the year.