ISTANBUL (The Thursday Times) — Türkiye and Qatar signed a mutual defence agreement on Friday as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Istanbul, the Turkish presidency said.
The pact was one of five agreements signed at the 12th meeting of the two countries’ Supreme Strategic Committee, held at the Presidential Dolmabahce Office after one-on-one and delegation-level talks. The others covered trade, education, consumer protection, and diplomatic cooperation.
Neither government has published the terms of the new defence agreement. The presidency’s statement gave no details of it, but said Erdogan had told the emir that the two countries would “continue working together to prevent the resurgence of war in the Gulf region and establish a basis for dialogue and achieve peace”.
A partnership since 2014
The two countries signed a military cooperation and defence industry agreement in 2014, which came into force in 2017 after Türkiye’s parliament approved it. That framework covers military expertise, defence industry development, and access to military facilities, including ports and airspace. Türkiye also keeps troops in Qatar under a separate deployment arrangement.
Defence industry ties have grown since then. The two governments signed a memorandum on defence industry cooperation in October 2025, and the Turkish defence firms ASFAT and MKE agreed joint projects with Qatar’s Barzan Holding in February 2025.
Pakistan’s Badr partners
Friday’s pact comes weeks after Türkiye, Qatar, Pakistan, and Indonesia signed the Badr memorandum in Doha in October to expand joint defence production, technical training, and research. That four-country framework pools industrial capacity rather than committing its members to defend one another.
Türkiye is also bound to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia by the Makkah defence pact, which treats an attack on one as an attack on all. This week its defence industry chief said Türkiye was ready to co-produce arms with Saudi Arabia.
The agreement comes in a tense week for the Gulf. Iran’s forces have claimed hits on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, Yemen’s Houthis have claimed attacks on Saudi oil sites, and Gulf states have agreed to base joint forces at a new command in Kuwait.
Trade and diplomacy
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, signed a memorandum on peace, reconciliation, and conflict resolution, along with the committee’s joint declaration.
Trade Minister Omer Bolat and Qatar’s commerce minister, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, signed a memorandum on consumer protection and market inspection. Education Minister Yusuf Tekin and Qatar’s minister of state, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, signed an education agreement.
Trade between the two countries reached $1.3 billion in 2025, and they aim to raise it to $5 billion a year. A trade agreement that came into force on August 1, 2025, covers goods, services, investment, and e-commerce.
