On July 3–4, 2026, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Turkey to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other Turkish leaders. They signed several agreements with defense pacts shaping bilateral relations. Sharif stated that “Türkiye’s success is Pakistan’s success, and Pakistan’s progress is Türkiye’s progress.”
Both Pakistan and Turkey view Israel as an adversary and promote political Islam, staking out positions on both issues that are now more radical than the Arab diplomatic mainstream.
Pakistan-Turkey strategic relations have grown more comprehensive, encompassing technology transfer, co-production, co-development of weapons, military training, and converging strategic interests across regions ranging from the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East to South Asia. During the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, Ankara sided with Pakistan and reportedly supplied Turkish-made drones, defense hardware, and other military technologies. Reports suggested that Turkish military advisors assisted Pakistan in planning, coordinating, and operating drone missions. Similarly, Ankara has been one of the strongest supporters of Pakistan’s position in Kashmir and has linked Kashmir with the Palestinian question at various international platforms.
Both Pakistan and Turkey view Israel as an adversary and promote political Islam, staking out positions on both issues that are now more radical than the Arab diplomatic mainstream. Turkey supports various Islamist organizations, including the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and Brotherhood-aligned factions in Libya and Syria to advance this agenda. The Pakistan partnership builds upon Erdoğan’s ambition to revive Ottoman-era influence and position Turkey as the leader of the Islamic world.
Turkey and Pakistan now undertake numerous joint defense initiatives. They are collaborating on the fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet program, as well as drones and ships. Technology transfer between the two is common. Turkey has trained around 1,500 Pakistani military personnel, strengthening military-to-military cooperation, while contributing to the modernization of Pakistan’s F-16 fleet through Turkish Aerospace Industries.
Turkey even denied overflight rights for the United States to transit its airspace when the United States sought to deliver AH-64E Apache helicopters to India, an action that suggested that Turkey considers its relations with Pakistan more important than maintaining good ties with NATO allies.
Turkey continues to deepen its naval cooperation with Pakistan, including with discussions over the supply of AKYA heavyweight torpedoes for Pakistan’s Hangor-class submarines. With a naval base in Somalia, Turkey is seemingly eyeing Pakistani ports to further the Turkish navy’s logistical reach.
If Turkey acquires the advanced U.S. F-35 Joint Strike fighter, its technology could shift the military balance in South Asia.
In August 2025, the navies of the two countries conducted their first bilateral amphibious exercise. There are also reports that Turkey and Pakistan are close to signing a strategic agreement that is more comprehensive than the existing Saudi Arabia-Pakistan strategic mutual defense pact. Such cooperation could fundamentally change the operational environment in the Indian Ocean basin.
Moreover, there is a possibility that if Turkey acquires the advanced U.S. F-35 Joint Strike fighter, its technology could shift the military balance in South Asia. India operates several Western defense platforms, and concerns may arise regarding the possibility of Turkey sharing with Pakistan the operational knowledge, tactics, techniques, and technological insights related to these aircraft. Such knowledge potentially could contribute to the advancement of their joint KAAN fifth-generation fighter program.
Their cooperation has also extended into the digital domain. Turkey reportedly has helped Pakistan to establish a cyber capability aimed at advancing Islamabad’s narratives in Southeast Asia, targeting Indian and U.S. digital platforms, and shielding Pakistani leaders from international criticism.
