By H.E. Tuba Nur SÖNMEZ
Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to the State of Kuwait
Special to The Times Kuwait
Today, as we proudly celebrate the 104th anniversary of the Victory Day of the Republic of Türkiye, we commemorate a defining moment in our nation’s history. On 30 August 1922, under the leadership of founder and the first President of the Turkish Republic, Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Turkish nation achieved a decisive victory in its struggle for independence, paving the way for the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye. This historic victory also became a source of inspiration for many nations around the world seeking freedom and sovereignty.
One hundred and four years later, the same spirit of determination continues to guide Türkiye. Today, it is reflected in the strength of the Turkish Armed Forces, the remarkable transformation of our defence industry and Türkiye’s growing contribution to regional and international peace and security.
A Global Defence Industry
Over the past two decades, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has transformed its defense industry into a globally competitive ecosystem capable of designing and manufacturing advanced systems across the land, air and maritime domains.
The figures demonstrate the scale of this transformation. Over the past decade, Turkish defence companies have exported products to 185 countries. In 2025, our defence and aerospace exports surpassed the 10-billion-dollar threshold for the first time, reaching 10.054 billion US dollars. Türkiye has also become the country that increased its defence industry exports the most when the last decade is compared with the preceding ten years.
Our achievements in unmanned aerial systems are particularly noteworthy. Today, Türkiye accounts for approximately 65 percent of the global UAV market. Our growing international standing is also reflected in the Defense News Top 100 list, which featured five Turkish companies in 2025: ASELSAN (43), TUSAŞ/Turkish Aerospace Industries (47), ROKETSAN (71), ASFAT (78) And MKE (80). This Made Türkiye One Of Only Five Countries in the world with five or more companies on the list.
From the KAAN and HÜRJET fighter jets to the Bayraktar TB2, ANKA, AKINCI, and KIZILELMA unmanned aerial vehicles, and from the indigenous ALTAY tank to the MİLGEM warships and TCG Anadolu, the diversity of these platforms stands as a testament to the technological expertise and industrial capacity Türkiye has built in a relatively short period.
An Army of Peace
This technological transformation goes hand in hand with the growing capabilities and international role of the Turkish Armed Forces. Guided by our enduring objective to achieve “Peace at Home, Peace in the World” as set out by the founder of our Republic Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and within the framework of our President’s vision of the “Century of Türkiye”, we continue to invest in both our Armed Forces and defense industry. The Turkish Land, Naval, Air Forces and Gendarmerie all rely heavily on indigenous systems, turning the Security and Armed Forces into a living showcase of our industry’s achievements.
Moreover, Türkiye, as NATO’s second-largest army and ranked the ninth strongest military worldwide, has long served as the cornerstone of security on NATO’s southeastern flank. As President Erdoğan underlined, “The Turkish Army is an army of peace.”
Today, Turkish soldiers serve in different parts of the world through NATO missions, multilateral peacekeeping operations and bilateral training and cooperation activities. Wherever they serve, their contribution goes beyond military presence. They contribute to peace and stability, strengthen the capacities of our partners and allies and help create the secure environment in which communities and regions can prosper.
On the other hand, at a time of increasing threats against regional and global security, The Joint Defence Agreement (JDA) between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan reflects a shared sense of responsibility for regional security, stability, prosperity and common future.
The JDA is based on the principles of sovereignty, reciprocal commitment and equal say, and provides an open and inclusive platform for cooperation with regional actors that adhere to international law and share these principles. The goal is to develop regional ownership, in order to contribute to a predictable order that consolidates security, stability and prosperity for the people of the region.
Growing Cooperation with Kuwait
In this respect, we believe that countries such as Kuwait, which attach importance to regional peace, stability and dialogue, have an important role to play in strengthening regional ownership of security. This understanding is also at the heart of our relations with friendly and brotherly Kuwait.
Türkiye and Kuwait share a strong commitment to regional peace and stability. We both attach great importance to dialogue, mediation and peace, while recognizing the importance of strengthening national defence capabilities in an increasingly challenging security environment.
Hence, defence cooperation has become an important pillar of our bilateral relations. Kuwait’s procurement of Bayraktar TB2 UAVs in 2023 marked a significant milestone. This was followed by the signing of a Government-to-Government Defence Industry Procurement Protocol during the historic visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Türkiye in May 2024.
This cooperation has been further strengthened through an intensive exchange of high-level visits. His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Kuwait on 21 October 2025, while Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, H.E. Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, visited Türkiye twice, on 4 May and 6 July 2026.
These engagements were further complemented by the visit of Minister of Defence of Kuwait, H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Ali Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, to attend the SAHA Expo Defence Exhibition on 6 May 2026, as well as the official visit of Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Khaled Al-Shuraian, to Türkiye on 16 July 2026.
We believe that stronger cooperation between Türkiye and Kuwait will contribute not only to the security of our two countries, but also to the peace, stability and prosperity of our wider region.
As I approach the completion of my tenure in Kuwait, I am particularly gratified to have witnessed the steady advancement of relations between our two brotherly nations. I am confident that the foundations we have built together, including in the field of defence, will continue to strengthen and flourish in the years ahead.
On this proud occasion, I remember with profound respect and gratitude Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his comrades-in-arms, our martyrs and veterans, and pay tribute to all members of the Turkish Security and Armed Forces who serve our nation with honor and devotion, at home and abroad.
May Allah Almighty protect Türkiye and Kuwait from all harm and further strengthen the enduring bonds of friendship and brotherhood between our nations.
Happy 30 August Victory Day.
