Saturday, 12 July, 2025
The President of Turkey’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB), Haluk Görgün, held a high-level meeting with Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday, signalling growing bilateral interest in defence cooperation and technological collaboration.
The meeting, held in Dhaka, comes as part of Turkey’s broader strategy to expand defence partnerships with friendly nations across Asia and Africa. Discussions reportedly focused on potential cooperation in defence technology transfer, joint production, and military modernisation—areas where Turkey has made significant advancements in recent years.
Over the past two decades, Turkey has transformed its defence sector from a largely import-dependent structure to a dynamic and increasingly self-reliant industry. Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the country has significantly ramped up domestic defence production, reducing reliance on foreign arms from over 80% in the early 2000s to less than 30% today.
The Turkish Defence Industry Agency (SSB) has overseen the development and export of a wide range of military equipment, including:
Bayraktar and ANKA drones, now operational in over 30 countries
Altay main battle tanks
MILGEM-class warships
Hisar and SIPER air defence systems
T129 ATAK helicopters
Unmanned ground vehicles and advanced communication systems
Turkey is now among the top arms exporters globally, with its indigenous systems gaining traction in markets across the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. In 2023 alone, the country exported over $5 billion worth of defence products, a record high.
Bangladesh, which has increasingly looked to diversify its defence procurement sources beyond traditional partners, is exploring cooperation with technologically advanced yet cost-effective nations like Turkey. The Chief Advisor's office stated that the meeting covered possibilities for:
Joint ventures in defence manufacturing
Training and capacity building of Bangladeshi defence personnel
Acquisition of surveillance and border protection technologies
Peacekeeping logistics and equipment support
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus welcomed Turkey’s interest in deepening defence ties, highlighting the potential for mutual benefit through shared expertise, especially in areas like drone surveillance, naval equipment, and cyber defence systems.
A formal statement on any agreements or memorandums of understanding (MoUs) is expected following a series of follow-up meetings between officials of the two countries.
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The President of Turkey’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB), Haluk Görgün, held a high-level meeting with Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday, signalling growing bilateral interest in defence cooperation and technological collaboration.
The meeting, held in Dhaka, comes as part of Turkey’s broader strategy to expand defence partnerships with friendly nations across Asia and Africa. Discussions reportedly focused on potential cooperation in defence technology transfer, joint production, and military modernisation—areas where Turkey has made significant advancements in recent years.
Over the past two decades, Turkey has transformed its defence sector from a largely import-dependent structure to a dynamic and increasingly self-reliant industry. Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the country has significantly ramped up domestic defence production, reducing reliance on foreign arms from over 80% in the early 2000s to less than 30% today.
The Turkish Defence Industry Agency (SSB) has overseen the development and export of a wide range of military equipment, including:
Bayraktar and ANKA drones, now operational in over 30 countries
Altay main battle tanks
MILGEM-class warships
Hisar and SIPER air defence systems
T129 ATAK helicopters
Unmanned ground vehicles and advanced communication systems
Turkey is now among the top arms exporters globally, with its indigenous systems gaining traction in markets across the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. In 2023 alone, the country exported over $5 billion worth of defence products, a record high.
Bangladesh, which has increasingly looked to diversify its defence procurement sources beyond traditional partners, is exploring cooperation with technologically advanced yet cost-effective nations like Turkey. The Chief Advisor's office stated that the meeting covered possibilities for:
Joint ventures in defence manufacturing
Training and capacity building of Bangladeshi defence personnel
Acquisition of surveillance and border protection technologies
Peacekeeping logistics and equipment support
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus welcomed Turkey’s interest in deepening defence ties, highlighting the potential for mutual benefit through shared expertise, especially in areas like drone surveillance, naval equipment, and cyber defence systems.
A formal statement on any agreements or memorandums of understanding (MoUs) is expected following a series of follow-up meetings between officials of the two countries.
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