Turkey is in advanced discussions to establish a facility in Pakistan to assemble Turkish-made combat drones, part of Ankara’s push to expand its fast-growing defense industry into new markets, Bloomberg reported, citing Turkish officials familiar with the negotiations.
According to the report the project would involve exporting stealth and long-endurance drone platforms from Turkey for assembly in Pakistan.
The officials, who spoke anonymously because the talks are not public, said the discussions have made significant progress since October. Turkey’s defense ministry declined to comment, and Pakistan’s information minister did not respond to questions.
The potential cooperation comes amid a surge in exports in Turkey’s defense and aerospace industry.
Data released Thursday showed that exports between January and November increased 30 percent from the same period last year, already surpassing Turkey’s previous annual highs with one month still left in 2025.
The jump reflects sustained investment in weapons manufacturing, drones and aerospace technologies, areas that Ankara has increasingly promoted as symbols of national self-reliance and strategic leverage.
Haluk Görgün, head of the Presidency of the Defense Industry (SSB), who announced the figures in a post on X on Thursday, described the gains as a “historic record” for the sector.
Turkey’s leading drone manufacturer is Baykar, which has so far exported drones to some 35 countries that have been used in conflicts in Azerbaijan and Libya in addition to Ukraine.
Baykar is co-owned by Selçuk Bayraktar, the son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
It is widely believed that the company owes its success to Erdoğan, who personally promotes Baykar drones during his visits to foreign countries, as a result of which agreements worth of millions of dollars are signed.
Turkey and Pakistan already have close defense ties. Ankara is building corvette-class warships for Pakistan’s navy under a joint production agreement and has modernized many of Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets. Turkish officials told Bloomberg that Ankara now hopes to bring Pakistan into its KAAN fifth-generation fighter-jet program as well.
The talks also come at a sensitive time for Pakistan’s security environment. Islamabad recently reached a ceasefire with India following a brief four-day military confrontation in May, while tensions with Afghanistan remain high over Pakistan’s claims that militant groups operating from Afghan territory are planning attacks inside the country.