Türkiye narrowing gap with advanced economies, says Şimşek
ISTANBUL
Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek said on Friday that Türkiye is quickly bridging the divide with the world's leading countries in the defense sector.
“Türkiye produces high value-added products and serves a fast-growing market. The outlook is strong, and the opportunities are significant,” Şimşek told Anadolu Agency during the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2025) in Istanbul.
He pointed to innovation and efficiency as vital forces behind this rise, often emerging from necessity and competition.
“Today we saw it firsthand in the products on display. This is a major success and a point of pride for our industry—it’s no coincidence,” he said.
Şimşek noted Türkiye has built and continues to refine a self-reliant ecosystem, with innovation at the heart.
“Competition brings efficiency. Defense industry expenditures are growing very rapidly worldwide. About 25 years ago, defense industry expenditures were $1.2 trillion, and now they are almost at the $3 trillion mark, but there is a very high probability that they will double again several times over the next 20-30 years,” he said.
Defense industry delivers security and prosperity: VP Yılmaz
Türkiye’s defense industry brings not only security and independence but also long-term economic growth, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said on Friday, citing its role in creating qualified jobs and boosting local innovation.
“It enables us to build a high-tech, high-value-added economic structure and create qualified employment. Indeed, we see this in our own defense industry,” Yılmaz said at IDEF 2025.
He said IDEF had become an international brand attracting global attention to Türkiye’s defense capabilities.
Yılmaz said the defense industry rests on three pillars — security, independence, and economic and social welfare.
He emphasized that in the past 22 years, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the sector had undergone a major transformation:
“Our domestic and national production, which was at 20 percent in the past, is now at 80 percent,” he said.
He noted that growing production and exports were driving increased added value and would reflect positively on social welfare.
Citing leading firms including Roketsan, Aselsan, Havelsan, TAI, Baykar and BMC, Yılmaz said: “These are also good examples for the youth who will build the Türkiye Century. We express our gratitude to all of them.”
The 17th IDEF, which opened Tuesday and runs through July 27, takes place across Istanbul Fair Center, Atatürk Airport, WOW Istanbul Hotel Congress Center and Ataköy Marina. Organized by KFA Fairs with backing from the Defense Industries Agency (SSB) and Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, it has Anadolu Agency as global media partner.
