Turkiye and Qatar have signed a mutual defence pact that commits both nations to support each other in case of an external armed attack. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani formalised the agreement during a meeting in Istanbul on Friday.
The deal was concluded after the 12th session of the two countries’ Supreme Strategic Committee. Under the pact, Ankara and Doha will strengthen collective defence, hold regular security consultations and coordinate their positions on regional and international security matters. The agreement also expands practical cooperation through joint military exercises, defence-industry partnerships and personnel training programmes.
President Erdogan said the mutual defence agreement will add a new dimension to the already strong brotherly ties between the two countries. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to protecting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while working toward a more stable regional order.
The leaders also discussed major regional challenges, including the conflict involving Iran, Israeli attacks on Gaza and the humanitarian situation in Palestine. They reviewed efforts toward normalisation in Syria and developments in Libya. Erdogan stressed that the two countries will continue working together to prevent any renewed outbreak of war in the Gulf and to promote dialogue and lasting peace.
Beyond security, Turkiye and Qatar expressed readiness to expand energy cooperation, particularly in liquefied natural gas trade. Officials said both sides are looking to diversify their energy partnership alongside growing defence-industry links.
The Qatari emir travelled to Istanbul after attending the United Nations COP31 climate summit in southern Turkiye. The new pact comes as Ankara continues to broaden its regional defence partnerships. In August, Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, under which an attack on one is treated as an attack on all three. The Turkish parliament recently ratified that arrangement.
In October, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkiye also signed a separate multilateral defence memorandum known as the Badr agreement. Together these moves signal a clear effort by Turkiye and its partners to strengthen security coordination amid rising tensions across the Middle East.
