According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, bilateral trade volume reached $8 billion in 2024.

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Defence, military partnership

Developing diplomatic and trade relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia has also positively affected military cooperation.

ASELSAN signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2015 with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and TAQNIA DST to enhance cooperation in defence electronics.

Following assessments that ASELSAN’s products could meet the needs of relevant Saudi institutions, a cooperation agreement was signed between ASELSAN and TAQNIA DST in 2016.

The Saudi Defense Electronics Company (SADEC), established through a partnership between ASELSAN and TAQNIA DST, represents one of the most significant collaborations between the two countries.

Baykar, the maker of combat drones, also signed an export and cooperation agreement with the Saudi Ministry of Defense in July 2023 for the Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). The agreement was recorded as the largest defence and aviation export contract in the history of Türkiye.

Cooperation in the Middle East

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, as major military and economic powers in the region, have achieved significant successes in regional policies through strengthened political and diplomatic relations in recent years.

By maintaining a mature balance based on controlled competition and cooperation rather than conflict, Ankara and Riyadh have demonstrated effective stances through institutions such as the OIC and the United Nations (UN) regarding crises in Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.

After Israel began its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia aligned their positions on the Palestinian issue, sharing overlapping interests in supporting a two-state solution and playing a joint role in a potential political settlement.

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also demonstrated strong cooperation with other regional countries to ensure internal peace and stability in Syria, where the Bashar al Assad regime was overthrown in December 2024.

Supporting the new administration under President Ahmed al Sharaa, the Turkish and Saudi governments played an important role in the lifting of international sanctions that would contribute to Syria’s reconstruction process.

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also continue to demonstrate strong stances in favour of stability through humanitarian aid efforts and diplomatic support in international platforms, not only in Yemen, which has been the scene of internal conflicts for many years, but also in the crises in Sudan and Somalia.

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