Türkiye, Qatar joint military exercise successfully completes in Konya

The Ministry of National Defense announced the successful completion of the ILGIN-2024 Türkiye-Qatar bilateral exercise.

Held at Türkiye’s Konya 3rd Main Jet Base Command, the exercise aimed to enhance military training and cooperation between Türkiye and Qatar, as well as the ability of units to jointly plan, work together, and execute operations in crisis situations.

The Ministry of National Defense announced the exercise on its X account with the following statement:

“The ILGIN-2024 Türkiye-Qatar Bilateral Exercise has been successfully conducted.

The exercise aimed to enhance military training and cooperation between Türkiye and Qatar, as well as to improve the ability of units to jointly plan, work together, and execute operations in crisis situations.”

Qatar and Türkiye’s defense cooperation forms a strategic partnership between the two countries. 

The Strategic Partnership Agreement, signed in 2008, made Türkiye the first non-Gulf country to establish contact with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) through a strategic dialogue mechanism. This agreement laid the foundation for military and defense cooperation between the two countries.

Türkiye’s military base in Qatar and its military cooperation with Kuwait play a significant role in regional security and stability. This military presence is seen as a security umbrella against regional security issues.

The Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee aims to deepen and develop relations between the two countries in all areas. During the 9th meeting held in 2023, cooperation agreements were signed in various fields. This committee contributes to strengthening the strategic partnership further.

There is also cooperation in the defense industry between Türkiye and Qatar. At the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition (DIMDEX 2022), Turkish companies received significant attention and cooperation protocols were signed to strengthen relations in the defense sector. This cooperation is further solidified through joint projects in the defense industry.

These collaborations reflect the shared regional security and defense interests of the two countries and influence their relations with other countries in the region. Türkiye’s military presence in Qatar and Kuwait is seen as a security umbrella for the stability of the Gulf, highlighting regional security distinctions.