By Azernews

By News Center

Turkish Defense Industry chief Ismail Demir has stated that the value of the nation’s defense industry projects has reached $70 billion, Yeni Shafak daily reports.

Demir made the remarks at the SEDEC 2022 Homeland Security, Border Security, and Internal Security Systems Fair, which was held for the third time in 2022 at the Ankara Chamber of Commerce Fair and Congress Center. The senior official underlined that significant progress has been made in the defense industry in the 20-year period.

"The number of our defense projects, which was around 60, has exceeded 750 today. About half of these projects have been launched in the last six years. While defense projects with a budget of $5.5 billion are being carried out, today the value of our defense industry projects is approaching $70 billion," he stressed.

In his opening remarks, Demir stated that Turkiye continues to work to effectively meet the needs of the Armed Forces and all other security units.

“The progress we've made over recent years as a result of these efforts has placed our organizations' platforms, technologies, and competencies in a variety of fields in high demand in international marketplaces,” Demir emphasized.

He also drew attention to the importance of domestic and national production for the independence of the country.

"As a historical evolution, our transition from a foreign-dependent culture in the military sector to one of self-sufficiency, developing and exporting technology, continues. Addiction results in indefinite servitude. In other words, if your own security systems, defense systems, and technologies are externally dependent then this dependency becomes permanent if there is no will to change it with a determined stance, and you may become unable to defend your national interests.

"In this respect, let's join hands in the process of developing domestic and national industry. Let's be self-sufficient against countries that are dominant in this field, countries that have put the will to create dependency for years, and countries that make us feel compelled to do so. With the human and financial resources we have created, we will achieve a structure that is self-sufficient and does not leave decisions regarding our own interests to the will of others in the future,” Demir stressed.