Canada seeks closer defense cooperation with Türkiye, minister says

Canadian Defence Procurement Minister Stephen Fuhr said Ottawa aims to rapidly expand defense and industrial ties with Türkiye as it looks for reliable “middle power” partners amid shifting global security dynamics.

Speaking to Defense News during his first visit to Türkiye for the SAHA Expo 2026 defense fair, Fuhr described Ankara as a “trusted partner” and a “valuable ally.”

The minister highlighted Turkish advances in unmanned aerial vehicles, counter-drone systems, munitions production and autonomous technologies as potential areas for future cooperation.

“Middle powers have to come together in ways they never have before. Individually, we are not big enough, but together we become big,” Fuhr said.

Between 2019 and January 2024, Canada imposed restrictions on arms sales to Türkiye and revoked a number of export permits, effectively enforcing a de facto arms embargo.

Asked whether the embargo had been politically worthwhile, Fuhr stressed that he had been elected in 2025 and said Canada was focused on the future.

Fuhr said officials from both sides, during meetings in Türkiye, prioritized practical cooperation and strategic alignment rather than revisiting past disputes.

“Nobody brought up information from the past or things that happened before,” he said. “Everyone is focused on responding to the current situation and how we can work together going forward.”

The Canadian official also referred to upcoming high-level political engagement between the two countries, including planned visits by Prime Minister Mark Carney and ongoing discussions surrounding a possible free trade agreement.

At the center of Canada’s effort to expand its defense industrial capacity are the newly adopted Defence Industrial Strategy and the establishment of a new Defence Investment Agency.

“Our strategy is ‘build, partner, buy,’” Fuhr said. “If there is an urgent requirement, we will probably need to go out and buy it. If it is something that can wait, then we need to develop it jointly.”

The minister emphasized that Ottawa wants partnerships that help revitalize Canadian industry rather than relying solely on direct foreign procurement.

Fuhr said Türkiye’s experience in developing a domestic defense industrial base offered lessons for Ottawa, particularly in areas where Ankara achieved rapid technological growth and supply-chain independence.

He described Türkiye as one of the few countries to successfully develop a “mature and largely independent” defense industrial ecosystem, comparing Ankara’s progress to that of South Korea and France.

Fuhr said several sectors offered opportunities for Canada and Türkiye to accelerate capability development together.

“Munitions production is one of them. Unmanned aerial vehicles and counter-drone systems are also fairly obvious areas,” he said.

He also suggested that future cooperation could involve joint development programs rather than straightforward off-the-shelf acquisitions, particularly in sectors where Canada aims to expand capabilities more rapidly without starting from scratch.

Ottawa’s interest extends beyond procurement opportunities. Fuhr described Canada as a “stable and reliable investment destination,” highlighting the country’s financial system, investment climate and policies aimed at encouraging foreign direct investment.

Canada’s broader push to deepen relations with Türkiye has already begun to produce results. SİSAM, the Strategic and Unmanned Systems Research Center affiliated with the local Sefine Shipyard, signed a memorandum of understanding this month with Canada-based Kraken Robotics during SAHA Expo 2026.

Under the agreement, Kraken will work with SİSAM to integrate its KATFISH towed synthetic aperture sonar system into mission-planning software and develop automated target recognition capabilities.