One of the distinctive features of the third millennium is that, rather than managing diplomacy under a single umbrella encompassing a wide range of issues, various organizations have adopted individual practices that serve a shared mission. This shift has led to the emergence of unique forms of diplomacy over time. One such practice is defence diplomacy. Political scientist Frederic Charillon defines contemporary defense diplomacy as “the desire to create a climate of trust and convergence of interests by using military channels or those with expertise in defence matters.” Today, Türkiye’s defense diplomacy with the Central Asian countries largely syncs with this definition. In this context, the security dimension of Ankara’s foreign policy toward the Turkic republics of Central Asia resembles the historical “Turan tactic.” The contemporary application of this tactic (essentially aimed at neutralising rivals through encirclement) will become even more meaningful when examined through a detailed analysis of Türkiye’s defence diplomacy in the region.
Mutual visits, defence agreements
The various examples of defence cooperation that Türkiye has developed in recent years with the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are significant steps toward enhancing regional security. In November 2023, Yaşar Güler, Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Türkiye, hosted Lieutenant General Ruslan Jaksilikov, Minister of Defence of Kazakhstan, in Ankara as an official guest. During the visit, the two ministers signed the Implementation Plan for Military Cooperation for 2024. A notable development in the following year was the visit of Colonel Olcas Kusayinov, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Kazakh Ministry of Defence, to Türkiye. On Jan. 27, 2025, during the visit of the Kazakh delegation led by Kusayinov, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries on cooperation in military education, scientific collaboration, peacekeeping operations and military medical training.
Türkiye’s military cooperation with Kyrgyzstan continues to deepen. In March 2022, then-Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar hosted Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Defence, Major General Baktibek Bekbolotov, in Türkiye as an official guest. During the visit, the two countries signed a Road Map for Military Technical Cooperation. A particularly strategic development occurred in February 2025, when Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan agreed on the joint production and export of military products to third countries. Notably, Izvestiya (a publication known for its alignment with the Kremlin’s foreign policy and formerly the official state newspaper of the USSR) headlined the development as “Türkiye tries to push Russia out of Central Asia.”
A similar military cooperation initiative is also evident in Türkiye-Uzbekistan relations. In November 2022, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Bahadır Kurbanov, visited Ankara at the special invitation of then-Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar, during which military cooperation agreements were signed between the two countries. A comparable development also occurred in Türkiye-Turkmenistan relations. In the previous year, Turkish Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler visited Turkmenistan at the official invitation of Turkmenistan’s Minister of Defence, Begenç Gündogdiyev. During his visit, Minister Güler was received by Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and also met with the National Leader of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Exports of defence products
An important pillar of Türkiye’s defence diplomacy with the Turkic republics in Central Asia is its advancements in the defence industry and exporting defence products to the region. In this context, a significant milestone in Türkiye-Kazakhstan relations was the agreement signed in November 2021, under the agreement (concluded between Kazakhstan’s procurement organization Kazspecexport and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), on behalf of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development) three ANKA unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), two ground control systems and logistical support packages (including technical documentation, training and spare parts) were delivered to Kazakhstan over the subsequent two years. Another important development occurred in May 2022, when a new export agreement enabled the local production of the ANKA UAV in Kazakhstan, making the country the first overseas production base for this Turkish platform. A similar initiative was launched last year by Baykar Defence, one of the key players in the Turkish defence industry, and discussions on this cooperation remain ongoing.
2021 also marked a significant milestone in Türkiye-Kyrgyzstan military relations with an important defence industry export initiative. In that year, Kamchybek Tashiev, Chairman of the Kyrgyz National Security Committee, revealed that Kyrgyzstan had purchased military equipment worth 300 million Kyrgyz Soms (approximately $33.4 million), including the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) from Türkiye. Similarly, in January 2025, Uzbekistan announced plans to import defense industry products from Türkiye, including preparations to acquire ANKA UAVs.
When examining Türkiye-Turkmenistan military relations, 2021 stands out as a significant milestone. In July of that year, Türkiye exported defence and aerospace products worth $37 million to Turkmenistan. Notably, Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), produced by Baykar Defence, were publicly showcased for the first time during the military parade held to mark the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s independence.
Will OTS become a military power?
In light of the mentioned developments, Türkiye’s defence diplomacy with the Central Asian Turkic republics appears to have intensified since 2021. It is important to note, however, that these initiatives align with Türkiye’s ongoing invitations to the defense ministers of these countries to visit Ankara. This trend can be interpreted as a reflection of Türkiye’s strategic intent, rather than mere coincidental developments, in its growing military cooperation with Central Asian nations. Furthermore, the potential role of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) in advancing Türkiye’s regional defence diplomacy is being closely observed by both the international community and regional actors with vested interests.
In this context, the question of whether the OTS will evolve into a military power remains an ongoing consideration. While there has been no formal declaration from the OTS regarding this issue, certain developments offer important insights into its potential future trajectory. One such development was the military exercise held on July 8, 2024, in the Caspian Region of Kazakhstan, involving the participation of Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and the three Central Asian OTS member states such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The name of the joint exercise, “We Are United-2024,” which saw the participation of nearly 4,000 soldiers, conveys a significant message about regional solidarity.
One key challenge for Türkiye’s defence diplomacy with the Central Asian countries today is the “artificial disagreement” that some OTS member states are on the verge of over the Cyprus issue. Although malicious actors have tried to undermine Türkiye’s policy toward the Turkic states, they have failed. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s statement, “As a principle, we prefer not to discuss family matters in public,” reinforces this assessment. On the other hand, while there has been no explicit claim that the OTS will evolve into a military power, such a development can be seen as a natural extension of the region’s historical trajectory, where military capacity often follows economic and institutional growth. Although there are exceptions, recent developments suggest that the so-called “Turan tactic” is gradually taking shape, and that artificial obstacles may only delay (rather than prevent) this emerging unity.