
Türkiye’s Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, emphasized that strong political will, stable government policies, and strategic investments in qualified human resources have propelled Türkiye’s defense industry into the global league of giants.
Türkiye and Hungary Hold First Defense Innovation Working Group Meeting
The first Türkiye-Hungary Defense Innovation Working Group meeting was held at the Ministry of Industry and Technology. Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır represented the Turkish delegation, while Hungarian Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky led the Hungarian side. Following discussions, both ministers signed the Procedures and Principles Document, aiming to draft an action plan for 2025.
Highlighting defense industry and innovation as priority areas for cooperation, Kacır noted:
“On December 18, 2023, during the Türkiye-Hungary High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council Meeting, we signed the ‘Memorandum of Understanding on R&D and Innovation Cooperation in Defense Technologies’ with the Hungarian Ministry of Defense. Following preparatory work, we have now officially launched the Türkiye-Hungary Defense Innovation Working Group at the ministerial level. This group includes leading defense industry institutions from both countries. In today’s first meeting, we have planted the seeds for new strategic collaborations that will serve the mutual interests of both nations.”
Türkiye and Hungary Strengthen Economic Ties
Minister Kacır emphasized Hungary’s importance as a key trade and investment partner for Türkiye. He highlighted that bilateral trade volume, which was only $524 million in 2002, has increased nearly eightfold in 22 years, surpassing $4.4 billion.
Under the shared vision of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Türkiye and Hungary have elevated their relationship to a “developed strategic partnership,” paving the way for deeper economic and technological collaboration.
“In recent years, we have taken decisive steps to strengthen our partnership. In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Turkish-Hungarian Friendship Agreement, we celebrated last year as ‘Türkiye-Hungary Culture Year.’ Recognizing the critical role of science and innovation in global competition and sustainable development, we have now designated 2025 as ‘Türkiye-Hungary Science and Innovation Year.’ I will visit Hungary soon to officially inaugurate this initiative.”
Türkiye’s Defense Industry Achieves 80% Localization Rate
Minister Kacır underscored Türkiye’s remarkable advancements in the defense industry over the past 22 years, attributing its success to long-term R&D, investment, procurement planning, and talent development.
*”Thanks to our national localization efforts, we have increased our defense industry’s domestic production rate from 20% to over 80% in 22 years. In contrast, this rate still stands at around 20% in the European Union. Our defense projects have grown significantly in both scale and quality. While only 62 defense projects were in progress in 2002, today, this number has exceeded 1,000.
Türkiye’s indigenous and cutting-edge defense products are reshaping global warfare paradigms and altering geopolitical balances, solidifying Türkiye’s position as a key player in the global defense industry.”*
With these ambitious developments, Türkiye continues to expand its influence in the international defense market, reinforcing its status as a leading force in global military technology.
Source: Foreks/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök