Türkiye, Qatar, Indonesia and Pakistan have signed a memorandum to strengthen defense cooperation and develop strategic partnerships, the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement on Oct. 21.
The agreement was signed in the Qatari capital Doha by the defense ministers of the four countries.
The signatories were Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hasan Al Thani, Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Yusuf Jauhari and Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
The ceremony was also attended by Haluk Görgün, head of Türkiye’s Defense Industries Presidency (SSB).
Named “Badr,” meaning “full moon,” the agreement aims to promote cooperation in military production, strengthen military capabilities, and support collaboration in technical military training, research and development, the ministry said.
The initiative would help develop solutions and industrial sectors aligned with advances in modern defense systems, it added.
The memorandum also carries significant economic importance for the signatories by combining their respective military production capabilities, improving integration and strengthening their defense industries to meet the needs of allied and friendly countries.
It is also expected to expand military cooperation among the participating countries, deepen ties in the defense industry, and strengthen multilateral collaboration in support of security, stability and shared objectives, the ministry said.
Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army, has been helping Gulf nations, including Qatar, where it has a military base, and bolster their defenses amid the Iran war.
In August, Ankara signed a mutual defense pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, under which an attack on one party constitutes an attack on all.
The Turkish government on Oct. 20 submitted the Mecca pact to parliament for ratification.
The move came after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signaled that the parliament will first ratify the agreement for Türkiye to consider supplying military support to Saudi Arabia in its conflict with Iran-backed Houthi groups in Yemen.
“The submission of the bill regarding the approval of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement... to the Turkish Parliament marks an important milestone toward the institutionalization of strategic cooperation among the three brotherly countries,” Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said in statement.
“Based on the principle that regional issues should be addressed through the responsibility of regional countries, the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is the manifestation of a shared will prioritizing security and solidarity.”
Ankara also has close ties with Indonesia, notably in the defense industry.
