Türkiye’s experience in the defence industry is ”pioneering and worth learning from", Saudi Minister of State and Cabinet member Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef said, stressing the importance of deeper cooperation between the two countries to localise defence production amid regional challenges.
Al-Khorayef, who is also the acting governor of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries, made the remarks in an interview with Anadolu on the sidelines of the Türkiye-Saudi Arabia Defence Industry Days, held Wednesday and Thursday in Istanbul.
The event was organised by Türkiye's Foreign Economic Relations Board, the SAHA Istanbul defence and aerospace cluster, and Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Military Industries, with more than 100 companies from both countries participating to explore cooperation and investment opportunities.
Pioneering experience
“We are witnessing very significant work in the defence industry sector. Without a doubt, the Turkish experience in defence industries is pioneering and is something we in the Kingdom can also learn from,” Al-Khorayef said.
“The challenges facing the region require us to work closely together to localise many industries,” he added.
He pointed to growing industrial ties between Saudi Arabia and Türkiye and expanding cooperation, particularly following the launch of the Kingdom’s industrial and mining strategies and amid rapid development in the defence sector.
Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in attracting investment and is seeking to draw more through partnerships with Türkiye, he said.
Al-Khorayef welcomed the convergence of interests between the two countries in the defence industry and said both sides are looking to continue joint efforts to deepen ties in the sector.
Shared interests
Al-Khorayef said Saudi-Turkish defence industry cooperation is based on shared interests, with both governments playing a role in enabling the private sector to lead investment and development.
He said private-sector engagement is guided by three main pillars.
The first is identifying the industrial priorities Riyadh seeks to develop, while the second is creating a supportive environment for private companies, including through infrastructure, financing and support programmes.
The third is ensuring the availability of contracts and a clear view of expected demand, allowing companies to plan investments and expand production.
Strong youth capabilities
On the future of the defence industry, the Saudi minister stressed the importance of advanced technologies and qualified human resources in developing the sector.
“The future of the sector is changing significantly, and the introduction of technologies into military and defence industries is a key pillar,” he said.
“I believe that both Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have strong youth capabilities, and the human resources and education systems in both countries will be among the most important foundations on which the future of this industry will be built,” he added.
Al-Khorayef said Saudi Arabia is focused on attracting companies with expertise and development capabilities, pointing to the role of Saudi Arabian Military Industries and the Rukn programme in showcasing available opportunities.
He said the participation of a large number of Turkish companies in the event reflected their commitment to understanding the needs of the Saudi market and exploring avenues for joint work.
Vision 2030
On Thursday, the Secretary of the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries, Haluk Gorgun, said Türkiye is ready to expand defence cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at the event, Gorgun said Türkiye has more than 1,400 defence industry projects with a combined portfolio worth around $120 billion.
He said Turkish defence companies are carrying out joint projects with their Saudi counterparts in support of Saudi Arabia’s goal of producing at least 50 percent of its military spending, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have also signed the Mecca defence pact, which formally took its first institutional decision at a meeting in Istanbul in August and agreed to establish a secretariat under the pact.
Since then, the three countries have taken positive steps to institutionalise the pact, including ratification in their respective countries.
