Malaysia and Turkey are accelerating a long-term, technology-driven defence partnership aimed at strengthening supply chains, boosting local industry, and modernising Malaysia’s defence capabilities.
Malaysia and Turkey are advancing toward a more sophisticated defence partnership grounded in technology transfer, industrial collaboration, and long-term strategic planning. Following a meeting between Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin and top Turkish defence leaders—building on prior talks with Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler at IDEF 2025—both sides signaled readiness to move beyond traditional procurement. The evolving cooperation aims to fortify Malaysia’s defence industry, deepen bilateral technological integration, and position both countries for greater influence within the global defence landscape.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — Malaysia and Turkey are moving decisively toward a more ambitious defence partnership, one driven by technology transfer, joint development programmes, and the systematic integration of local industries—an approach expected to reshape Malaysia’s long-term defence capabilities.
This renewed momentum follows a high-level meeting today between Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and a prominent Turkish delegation led by ASELSAN CEO and President Ahmet Akyol, accompanied by Turkish Ambassador to Malaysia Emir Salim Yüksel. The discussions underscored both nations’ growing alignment in defence modernisation and strategic readiness.
Minister Khaled Nordin, in a statement following the meeting, stressed that Malaysia must “break away from the conventional procurement mindset” and adopt a forward-looking strategy rooted in sustainable collaboration.
“Long-term cooperation will strengthen national supply chains, empower local industries, and ultimately expand Malaysia’s presence in global defence markets,” he said.
Today’s engagement builds on earlier high-level talks in Istanbul, where Khaled Nordin met Turkish National Defence Minister Yaşar Güler during the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025. The four-point dialogue at that meeting focused on the specific defence capabilities, industrial linkages, and technological domains where both countries stand to benefit most.
Taken together, these sustained diplomatic and industrial engagements signal a shift toward a more integrated Malaysia–Turkey defence ecosystem—one underpinned by shared technological priorities, mutually beneficial industrial cooperation, and a strategic vision aligned with emerging regional and global security challenges.
As both nations prepare to operationalise this evolving partnership, analysts suggest that the deepening Malaysia–Turkey axis could emerge as one of the most dynamic defence collaborations in the broader Asian and Middle Eastern security landscape.
