President Erdoğan: “Turkish Companies Produce Two of Every Three UAVs Sold Globally”

Speaking at the 32nd Ordinary General Assembly of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) and the “Champions of Export” Awards Ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made striking remarks on Türkiye’s export success and its global position in the defence industry.

President Erdoğan emphasised that Türkiye has become one of the world’s leading manufacturing countries in strategic fields such as defence and aviation, automotive, energy, and television series exports. He especially highlighted the nation’s achievements in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs and UCAVs):

“We have become one of the world’s leading countries in both armed and unarmed unmanned aerial vehicles. Today, Turkish companies produce two out of every three UAVs sold worldwide. This is a great source of pride for our nation.”

Record Defence Industry Exports in 2024: $7.1 Billion

President Erdoğan noted that in 2002, the localisation rate in the defence industry was just 20%. As of 2024, the sector has reached $15 billion in revenue and $6.7 billion in goods exports. Including NATO and service exports, the total export volume has climbed to $7.1 billion.

“Global Demand for KAAN Will Rise”

Erdoğan also highlighted the increasing international interest in Türkiye’s domestically developed next-generation fighter jet, KAAN:

“We will achieve the same success in fighter jets as we have with UAVs. Global demand for KAAN will continue to grow every year.”

Expanding Financial Support for Exporters

During the ceremony, Erdoğan also detailed the expanding financial support provided to exporters:

• Turkish Eximbank provided $49 billion in funding in 2024, with a 2025 target of $52 billion.

• The Central Bank issued TL 581 billion in rediscount loans in 2023, and TL 330 billion in the first five months of 2024.

• Over the last two years, exporters were relieved of TL 173 billion in financial burdens.

• The Investment Commitment Advance Loan Programme was expanded to TL 500 billion, to be used for 284 strategic products and investments exceeding TL 2 billion.

Türkiye Gains Strength in Every Sector Globally

Highlights from President Erdoğan’s address include:

• The automotive sector reached $37 billion in export volume, making Türkiye Europe’s 4th and the world’s 12th largest production hub.

• According to the ENR list, Turkish contractors ranked 2nd globally among the top 250 firms.

• Turkish TV series reached over 800 million viewers in more than 250 countries.

• Tourism brought in 62.2 million visitors, placing Türkiye 4th among the world’s most visited countries.

“We Will Build the Century of Türkiye Together”

In closing, President Erdoğan addressed exporters with the following words:

“You are not only exporting products—you are exporting Türkiye’s vision. We will write many more success stories together. We are marathon runners. Our path is long, our burden is heavy, but our faith and determination are even greater.”