Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said Thursday that Türkiye will not make any compromises regarding its defense industry, emphasizing that national strength, rather than dependence on others, is essential for survival in today’s world.
Speaking at the Turkish Parliament, Yılmaz said Türkiye will continue to prioritize the defense industry.
Türkiye must be a deterrent force and further develop its defense industry in a world where NATO members have committed to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defense requirements, the European Union has announced its Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program, and where geopolitical risks are rising, he stressed.
He said Türkiye has always been a country that prioritizes diplomacy and peace.
"A concrete example of this is that it is a country that has prioritized diplomacy and peace on many issues, from Gaza to Karabakh, from Ukraine to Somalia and Ethiopia," he said.
"But we have also learned this: no matter how right you are, if you are not strong, you cannot live in this world relying on the mercy of others,” he added.
"We saw this in Gaza. We will be both strong and right. We must do both, and as the Republic of Türkiye, we will do so."
Touching on the inflation issue, he emphasized that September inflation exceeded expectations, creating a more cautious outlook for the year-end forecast.
He said that once they see October's inflation figures, the country will be able to make a more accurate year-end forecast, slightly below or above 30%.
"September was an unusual month. Therefore, I am among those who believe that things will return to normal in October," he said.
He recalled that inflation was around 65% in 2023 and fell to 44% in 2024.
"This year, our program target is to see it below 30%. Next year, below 20%, and the following year, single digits. This is our roadmap," he stressed.
Years of investments have helped Türkiye transform from a nation heavily reliant on equipment from abroad to one where homegrown systems meet almost all of its defense industry needs.
For years, Ankara has voiced frustrations over its Western allies' failure to provide adequate defense against missile threats despite Türkiye being a NATO member.
The transformation over the last 20 years has prompted the development of a range of homegrown air, land and marine platforms, eventually helping lower Türkiye's foreign dependency on defense from around 80% in the early 2000s to below 20% today.
The capabilities of its defense platforms, led by its combat drones, helped it seal billions of dollars' worth of export deals in recent years.
More than 3,500 firms operate in the industry, employing a qualified workforce of 100,000.
