Trade Minister Ömer Bolat visited IDEF 2025

The 17th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2025), hosted by the Ministry of National Defense, supported by the Presidency of Defense Industries, and managed and overseen by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, has begun at the Istanbul Fair Center (IFM). Trade Minister Ömer Bolat visited the fair on its fourth day. He toured the stands and received information about the products from officials, before also speaking to members of the press.

Bolat stated that IDEF is one of the most prestigious and show-off fairs in Turkey's history, adding that the event is a place that represents Turkish industry, the level and development Türkiye has achieved in technology, and the mark it has left on the world in the defense industry.

"This year, we will easily exceed $8 billion in exports of defense industry products and services."

Minister Bolat, noting that nearly 100 countries participated in the fair, said, "This is the best place to represent the progress of the Turkish economy, the Turkish industry, and the technological level of Türkiye. I invite all our citizens to visit this fair and share the pride of Türkiye's achievements. As the Ministry of Trade, it is our duty to export our country's products to the world. Wherever we go in the world, our defense industry is spoken of with praise, and this level of success we have achieved in the defense industry actually brings great prestige to the Turkish industry. If a country is successful in the defense industry, it creates a positive reputation that it is successful in all industries, and we see this clearly from our interlocutors. They have no concerns about technology and quality levels. Last year, we reached $7.15 billion in defense industry products and services exports. We are progressing increasingly every year. We have already surpassed $3.5 billion in the first six months of this year, and sales are accelerating towards the second half and the last quarter of the year. This year, God willing, we will easily exceed $8 billion, and we will contribute to Türkiye's export success in defense." “The industry makes a major contribution,” he said.

"We have a defense industry that employs over 90,000 people and nearly 100,000 people."

Bolat, stating that the defense industry provides significant added value and contributes to the general industry through the ecosystem it has established, said, "Today, we have a defense industry that exceeds 90,000 and provides nearly 100,000 jobs. We are talking about an annual production figure of $20 billion in the defense industry, and we have a strong defense industry export capacity that can export to more than a hundred countries worldwide. The defense industry will develop even further. Turkey is now among the strongest defense industry countries in the Eurasian region. Countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe, including South America, use Turkish defense industry products. We will progress even further, we have no doubt about it. This is not just an economic activity or a foreign exchange-earning export activity. In that sense, the defense industry is very important, of course, from an economic and export perspective, but it is also the guarantee of our independence. We have witnessed very fierce wars, clashes, and conflicts in our north, south, east, and west over the last few years. Amidst these, Turkey continues its development like a monument of stability, an island of stability. And we have achieved this with strong We owe this to our army, our strong economy, our strong defense industry, and strong leadership and management. When you stumble, when there are internal conflicts, when there is unrest, development stops, and unfortunately, regression begins. Turkey has been on the rise in a constant state of progress and development for the last 20 years, a shining star in the Eurasian region. We owe a debt of gratitude to all the actors in our defense industry, especially our Presidency of Defense Industries, who have made significant contributions to our independence and our strong defense."

"Our goal is to increase exports per kilogram to $100 in the defense industry."

Minister Bolat stated that IDEF has become a crucial meeting point where projects under development are introduced and showcased to the world. He concluded by saying, "The event is a marketplace for the defense industry. We see companies from Western countries, as well as from Asia, Europe, and America, here. This means IDEF has become a global brand. Bolat noted that exports per kilogram in the defense industry are currently $68, adding that the initial goal is to increase this to $100, and that there is no limit to the future."

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Reporter: News Center