Malaysia and Turkey have deepened their defence ties with the signing of a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Coalition of Defence Industry (Malaysia) [CDI(M)] and Savunma ve Havacılık Sanayii İmalatçılar Derneği (SASAD), Turkey’s leading defence industry association, at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025 in Istanbul.
The agreement, witnessed by Malaysia’s Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Turkey’s Defence Industries President Prof Dr Haluk Görgün, sets the stage for enhanced bilateral cooperation across land, air, maritime and digital defence sectors.
“This MoU goes beyond paperwork; it’s a launchpad for joint innovation and global competitiveness,” said SASAD Chairman Osman Okyay, as he and CDI(M) President Datuk Nonee Ashirin formalised the five-year deal.
Key highlights for the MoU include joint research and development and technology exchange, bilateral industry club to connect high-potential companies, regular strategic dialogues and exhibitions and quarterly briefings on collaborative defence projects.
Commenting on the partnership, Nonee described the pact as a reflection of Malaysia’s ambition to be a reliable global defence partner because, through this partnership, they are building a resilient, forward-looking defence ecosystem anchored in trust.
