Source : BRICS NEWS
DOHA — Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia are set to sign a joint defence industry agreement, BRICS News reported on X on Tuesday (Oct 20), in a move that would bring together four of the Muslim world’s most active defence partners under a single cooperation framework.
“Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia to sign joint defense industry agreement,” BRICS News said in its post. According to Anadolu Agency, the four countries are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on defence industry cooperation in Qatar on Wednesday (Oct 21). Turkish National Defence Minister Yasar Guler was scheduled to depart for Qatar on Tuesday afternoon to attend the signing, the agency said, citing officials.
Turkish defence outlet DefenceTurk reported that the memorandum is intended to promote cooperation in the defence industry, defence technology and knowledge transfer, training, and research and development, with the aim of strengthening the national defence capabilities of the countries involved and deepening friendly ties between their defence sectors. The full text of the agreement has not been made public.
The signing coincides with the Global Security Forum in Doha, which opened on Monday (Oct 19) and runs until Wednesday under the theme “The Future of Alliances”, bringing together officials and security specialists from more than 100 countries, Ahram Online reported. Speaking at the forum, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said the Gulf state would soon announce a centre for local defence production.
“We are working in partnership with a regional party, in addition to other partners such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, to ensure either the provision of local defense capabilities or investment in some of these companies,” he said, according to Reuters. He also said Qatar would soon announce a new partnership to strengthen its capabilities against ballistic missiles, drones and cyberattacks, without giving further details, TRT World reported.
The agreement builds on existing bilateral defence links between Turkey and each of the three other countries. Qatar has acquired Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drones from Baykar, as well as Ejder Yalcin and Kirpi armoured vehicles, DefenceTurk reported. Turkey and Qatar maintain a joint military command in Doha, and in October 2025 the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on defence industry cooperation, according to TRT World. Guler last made an official visit to Qatar in April, when he was received by the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
With Pakistan, a flagship project is the construction of four MILGEM corvettes for the Pakistan Navy, built at shipyards in both Turkey and Pakistan, while Baykar has carried out research and development work in Pakistan’s aviation and technology sector. Indonesia, meanwhile, has taken delivery of Kaplan MT medium tanks developed by Turkish firm FNSS, and in 2025 signed an agreement and implementation contract for the export of 48 KAAN national combat aircraft, DefenceTurk reported.
The four-way pact comes as the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began in late February, continues to reshape security thinking across the Gulf. Qatar was forced to shut down much of its main liquefied natural gas complex at Ras Laffan shortly after hostilities began, while restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted global trade, TRT World reported. At the Doha forum, Sheikh Saoud also called for dialogue with Iran and a regional non-aggression arrangement, saying Qatar was working with Pakistan and Oman to support diplomatic efforts.
Further details of the agreement are expected after Wednesday’s signing ceremony.
The original BRICS News post can be viewed on X: https://x.com/BRICSinfo/status/2112509504432619530.
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