Türkiye's exports to Italy, one of its major trading partners, reached a new record of $12.4 billion (TL 536.73 billion) last year, according to a report on Tuesday, citing trade data.

While the protectionist trade policies implemented by the U.S. administration last year put global supply chains at risk, Europe's strategic shift to sourcing from nearby countries brought Türkiye to the forefront.

Türkiye, which increased its exports to the European Union last year, strengthened its trade relations with one of Europe's leading countries, Italy, resulting in a new record in this area, a report by Anadolu Agency (AA) said.

Accordingly, exports to Italy rose by 3% in 2025 compared to 2024, reaching $12.4 billion and marking the highest annual export figure of all time, the report said, citing the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) data.

Italy, with a 4.5% share in Türkiye's total exports, stood as the fourth largest export destination for Ankara in 2025.

Türkiye and Italy have enjoyed a positive momentum in bilateral ties in recent years, which was particularly demonstrated in closer defense cooperation as the Turkish drone giant Baykar launched a joint venture with Leonardo last year.

Meanwhile, the countries to which Türkiye exported the most last year were Germany with $19.8 billion, the United Kingdom with $14.2 billion and the United States with $13.2 billion.

Based on exporting sectors, the automotive industry ranked first with $3.3 billion in exports from Türkiye to Italy last year. It was followed by chemicals and chemical products with $1.7 billion, steel with $1.1 billion, iron and non-ferrous metals with $1 billion, and textiles and raw materials with $733.3 million.

The electrical and electronics sector exported $707.4 million worth of goods, machinery and components some $575.9 million, and fishery and animal products $306.5 million, respectively.

In terms of value, the highest increase in exports was seen in the iron and non-ferrous metals sector, with $220 million. This was followed by chemicals and chemical products with $179.3 million, machinery and components with $105.7 million, fishery and animal products with $55.5 million, and the electrical and electronics sector with $50.4 million.

Istanbul, Türkiye's largest city and leading one in exports, was at the forefront with $4.4 billion in exports to Italy in 2025.

It was followed by Kocaeli with $1.6 billion, Bursa with $1.3 billion, Izmir with $764.5 million and Ankara with $510.2 million.