Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reveals a significant shift in Türkiye’s defense spending patterns over the past two decades.

In 2001, Türkiye’s defense expenditures stood at $7.2 billion, accounting for 3.6% of its GDP. The following year saw this ratio climb to 3.8%, reflecting the country’s heavy dependence on foreign military technology.

Fast forward to 2023, and the landscape has changed dramatically. While defense spending increased to $17 billion, it now represents just 1.5% of GDP – a marked decrease attributed to the burgeoning domestic defense industry.

The development of homegrown defense products has led to less military spending and more economic growth over the years..

Turkish defense companies now produce a wide array of military hardware domestically, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), armored land vehicles, naval vessels, missiles, radar systems, and critical subsystems.