IDEF 2025 concludes with $9 billion in defense contracts

ISTANBUL

The International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025 concluded with a total contract volume of $9 billion, highlighting Türkiye’s expanding role in the global defense sector.

Organized by KFA Fuarcılık under the auspices of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV), and hosted by the Defense Ministry with support from the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), the fair was held at the Istanbul Expo Center last week.

The event brought together 1,491 companies and representatives from 103 countries, including 231 official delegations, according to Haluk Görgün, president of the SSB.

“More than 120,000 visitors attended the fair, which showcased the engineering capabilities and export-oriented vision of Türkiye’s defense industry,” Görgün wrote on X.

Görgün emphasized that over 1,100 products were exhibited for the first time, including 26 newly developed defense systems.

A total of 270 signing ceremonies took place during the fair, with 65 percent of the agreements focusing on exports.

He noted that this outcome reflects a global affirmation of Türkiye’s commitment to domestic production and strategic defense architecture.

Between 2002 and 2024, Türkiye’s defense and aerospace sector experienced remarkable expansion across exports, revenue, and project volume.

Exports surged from just $248 million in 2002 to $7.154 billion in 2024 — a 29-fold increase.

Total sector revenue reached $15 billion by the end of 2024, reflecting the growing scale of domestic and international sales.

The number of active defense projects rose from 62 in 2002 to over 1,100 in 2024, marking a 17-fold increase.

The overall project budget grew from approximately $5.5 billion in 2002 to over $100 billion in 2024, including ongoing procurement processes.