Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed the progress made in the country’s defence sector, saying its cutting-edge defence technologies would make a difference.
Erdogan made the remarks on Friday at the closing ceremony of the 16th International Defence Industry Fair held in Istanbul, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said Turkey constantly strengthened its capacity in the armed unmanned sea, air, and land vehicles, noting that its defence export reached $2.4 billion in the first half of 2023 and aims to reach $6 billion by the end of the year.
The Turkish leader said his government had developed a “Turkey Model” in defence cooperation, stressing that “the aim is not only to sell products to interlocutors but to establish medium- and long-term partnerships”.
“We want to strengthen our cooperation based on common interests and a win-win understanding,” he added.
The international defence industry fair started to be held every two years since 1993 and grew to be one of the prestigious defence industry events worldwide.
This year’s event, which is hosted by the Turkish Defence Ministry, showcases a wide range of new defence technologies and products.
–IANS