Carney: About 80% of Türkiye’s Defence Needs Are Produced Domestically, and Canada Has Much to Learn
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held up Türkiye’s defence industry as a model in Ankara: according to Carney, Türkiye produces around 80 percent of its defence needs at home, while Canada does not.
What Carney Said
“About 80 percent of Türkiye’s defence needs are produced domestically. That is not the case in Canada. There is a great deal we can learn from Türkiye about how we can build up our own defence industry.”
The 80 percent figure is Carney’s own; he did not set out the basis for it.
Why It Matters
It is notable for the prime minister of a G7 country to cite a NATO ally as a model in defence production. Carney’s remarks tie Canada’s goal of reducing reliance on foreign suppliers and building domestic capacity to its new relationship with Türkiye. The Defence Sector Partnerships Memorandum signed during the visit also aims to bring companies from the two countries closer; see our report.
Türkiye’s defence industry has grown quickly in recent years, not only in domestic production but also in exports. According to figures released by the SSB, Turkish defence and aerospace exports exceeded 10 billion dollars in 2025, and SIPRI ranks Türkiye as the world’s 11th-largest arms exporter for 2021-2025. For the numbers, see our exports report.
