Türkiye plans to set up a combat drone assembly facility in Pakistan, with negotiations progressing since October, a foreign news agency reported Saturday.
Citing Turkish officials, the report said the facility would allow Pakistan to access advanced stealth and long-endurance drones, while supporting Ankara’s global defence export ambitions. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Pakistan and Türkiye have a longstanding defence partnership, including joint work on the TF-X fifth-generation fighter jet and F-16 upgrades.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has collaborated with Pakistan’s NUST and NESCOM on UAV components, including the Anka drone, capable of 24-hour flights at 30,000 feet carrying up to 250 kilograms. Ankara is also pursuing arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Syria, fighter jet exports to Indonesia, and a USD 1.5 billion T-129 attack helicopter deal for Pakistan, which remains stalled.
Türkiye’s defence exports rose 30 percent in the first 11 months of 2025 to a record USD 7.5 billion, according to TAI chief Haluk Görgün. Analysts say the drone facility would mark a significant step in bilateral defence cooperation.
The development comes amid regional tensions, including clashes with India and strained ties with Afghanistan, where anti-Pakistan groups operate from Taliban-controlled territory. Both Pakistan and Türkiye have declined comment on the plan.
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