Türkiye, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia signed a multilateral defense cooperation agreement in Doha on Wednesday, establishing a framework for closer collaboration in defense production, military training, research and technology development.

The agreement, known as the Badr Memorandum of Understanding, brings together the four countries’ defense ministries and aims to strengthen their industrial capabilities by expanding joint production and technical cooperation, Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry said.

Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler signed the agreement alongside Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hasan Al Thani; Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Yusuf Jauhari; and Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

The Badr memorandum seeks to combine the four countries’ defense industry capabilities, increase cooperation in military production and expand collaboration in technical training, research and development.

It also aims to strengthen industrial capacity, advance defense technologies and help meet the requirements of allied and friendly countries.

Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said the agreement would allow the signatories to draw on their complementary industrial capabilities to develop their defense sectors and deepen cooperation across the industry.

Haluk Görgün, head of Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries, described the memorandum as a strategic platform for moving beyond conventional arms purchases toward joint production and technology development.

“We see the Badr Memorandum of Understanding as a strategic cooperation platform that brings together our countries’ defense industry capabilities and expands opportunities for joint production and technology development,” Görgün said.

He added that Türkiye’s defense partnerships extended beyond equipment sales to include technical knowledge, engineering expertise and experience-sharing, helping partner countries develop their own industrial infrastructure and domestic production capabilities.

The agreement is intended to translate the four countries’ complementary strengths into concrete projects and build more sustainable defense industry capabilities. Its stated objectives do not establish a mutual defense commitment.

The name “Badr,” rendered as “Bedir” in Turkish, means “full moon,” according to Türkiye’s Defense Ministry.

The agreement comes as Türkiye expands its defense exports and pursues international partnerships focused on joint production and technology transfer.

Türkiye’s defense and aviation exports reached $10.05 billion in 2025, an increase of 48% from the previous year.

The four signatories already have defense industry ties with Türkiye, including cooperation involving combat aircraft, naval vessels and industrial development.

Indonesia signed a contract in July 2025 to acquire 48 KAAN fighter jets from Türkiye. The arrangement also envisages cooperation drawing on Indonesian industrial capabilities, with technology transfer and the development of local production capacity forming part of the broader partnership.

Türkiye and Pakistan have also cooperated on the MILGEM corvette program, which covers four naval vessels for Pakistan. The project involves construction in both countries and serves as an established example of bilateral defense production cooperation.

Qatar, meanwhile, has expanded its defense industry ties with Türkiye. The two countries signed a defense industry cooperation memorandum in October 2025, while Turkish defense companies ASFAT and MKE signed cooperation protocols with Qatar’s Barzan Holding in February 2025.

The Badr memorandum brings these existing relationships into a four-country framework, with a focus on joint production, technical training, research and development, and the strengthening of domestic defense industries. (ILKHA)