Erdoan tours as a turkier to Asia
Turkiye’s involvement with Southeast Asia is often seen as part of a broader strategic pivot that has evolved along with broader foreign policy. Last week, President Receptacle Tayyip Erdogan conducted tours of Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan.
In 2019, Turkiye introduced a new Asian initiative with three key goals to strengthen Turkiye’s defense cooperation by building stronger defence ties with Asian countries. It will address the growing demand for defence procurement by increasing Turkier’s access to Asian markets. and promote closer economic ties with the individual national and regional organizations they are members of. The initiative covers a variety of projects from 2024 to 2026. Malaysia and Indonesia play an important role as they are members of influential organizations such as ASEAN, BRICS, Islamic cooperation organizations, and developing countries.
My first destination on Erdogan’s tour was Malaysia, and last visited in 2019. Malaysia is particularly important in the Asian context for several reasons. Malaysia is ASEAN’s 2025 Chairman and ASEAN Chairman, which Turkiye has been participating since 2013. Turkiye is currently the organization’s department’s dialogue partner and hopes to gain full dialogue partner status. Supporting Malaysia as one of the founding members of ASEAN is essential for Turkiye to achieve this goal.
Malaysia is also a member of D-8, an international organization founded in Istanbul in 1997, along with Turkier, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Egypt and Nigeria. He is also an active member of the OIC and has contributed to diplomatic efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Turkiye. One of the key issues discussed during Erdogan’s visit to Malaysia was the reconstruction of Gaza. Malaysia has pledged to support the creation of the fund for this purpose and to co-chair Gaza and Palestine’s East Asia Reconstruction Plan. Erdogan highlighted the importance of platforms such as the OIC and D-8 to address global humanitarian issues, including Gaza. Malaysia was also the first ASEAN member state to sign a free trade agreement with Turkiye in 2014.
The global shift from west to east, the trend of “pivoting to Asia,” changes in the dynamics of the Middle East, and Torkiye’s practical foreign policy have shaped Ankara’s own transformation into Asia.
Dr. Sinem Cengiz
The defense sector has a burgeoning relationship between Torkier and the Southeast Asian states. Malaysian Ministry of Defense has identified Turkiye as a key player in the development of defence capabilities. In particular, Malaysia has expressed interest in Turkish maritime defense products. Turkish defense giant STM signed a contract with Malaysia in 2024 to buy three Corvette warships. The strong momentum of Turkey-Malaysia relations was evident in 11 agreements signed during Erdogan’s visit.
The president’s second stop was Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation and the largest economy in Southeast Asia. In recent years, both countries have significantly strengthened their remarkableness. In 2022, they signed five agreements on defense, technology, forestry and environmental cooperation. In 2023, they agreed to conduct joint military exercises and strengthen cooperation in the defense industry. During Erdogan’s visit, an agreement was signed between Indonesian defense company Republicorp and Turkiye’s Baykar to establish a drone production facility in Indonesia. President Prabowo Subianto praised this growing cooperation and noted the success of his joint venture with Turkish defence companies such as Roketsan, Aselsan, Havelsan and Baykar. The visit also marked the first meeting of the two states’ High Level Strategic Cooperation Councils, which were established in 2022.
The last foot on Erdogan’s tour took him to Pakistan, where he visited five years ago. Turkiye has special ties with Pakistan, a medium-sized defense partner that has long played a key role in strengthening its military capabilities. During this visit, Pakistan is another result of already growing defence cooperation, particularly in areas such as technology transfer, joint production contracts and arms sales. Turkish defense companies such as Aselsan and Loketan have worked with Pakistani partners to develop advanced weapons, strengthening defensive production for Pakistan’s indigenous peoples, and reducing their dependence on Western suppliers. This growing military cooperation deepened the relationship between Turkier and Pakistan and solidified Torkier’s position as an important partner.
The global shift from west to east, the trend of “pivoting to Asia,” changes in the dynamics of the Middle East, and Torkiye’s practical foreign policy have shaped Ankara’s own transformation into Asia. Turkiye is currently working to expand its influence in Southeast Asia, a region that has warmly welcomed this involvement. However, it is important to consider how Turkiye can further adjust the evolving dynamics of the region and the increased competition among several actors and strategic goals. Personal diplomacy at the leadership level on countries, defence capabilities and economic potential is a key asset of Turkiye that can support pivots into Asia. However, its Southeast Asian policy requires a sustained focus and effort, moving beyond economic and defence cooperation, and strengthening relationships between people.
•Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst specializing in Turkey’s relationship with the Middle East. X: @sinemcngz
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the writers in this section are unique and do not necessarily reflect the Arab news perspective.
