TAIS export file: Indonesia, Qatar and India
Quick answer: The export record of TAIS Shipyards can be summarized under three main headings: the İstanbul-class frigate agreement signed for Indonesia, the training ships delivered to Qatar by member yard ADİK, and the Indian fleet support ship process that ended without result. The two best-known programs of Turkish naval export — the Pakistani and Ukrainian MİLGEM contracts — belong not to TAIS but to other contractors; this file separates the work shares with sources.
Indonesia: two İstanbul-class frigates
According to a report by The Defense Post dated 21 January 2026, TAIS signed an agreement worth roughly 1 billion dollars with Qatar-based Barzan Holding at the DIMDEX 2026 exhibition in Doha, covering the delivery of two İstanbul-class frigates to the Indonesian Navy. The same source reports that this contract finalized a preliminary agreement signed in July 2025, and that the model differs from a classic buyer-shipyard contract by including a risk-sharing and financing framework. The agreement was recorded as the first export order for the İstanbul-class design; the class’s production base is described in the İstif file.
Qatar: two cadet training ships
Consortium partner Anadolu Shipyard (ADİK) signed a contract with the Qatari Navy for two training ships at the DIMDEX exhibition in March 2018. The first ship, QTS 91 Al Doha, was delivered on 25 August 2021, and the second, QTS 92 Al-Shamal, in 2022. According to Naval News, the roughly 90-meter, 2,150-ton ships are based on ADİK’s own design; they carry a helicopter platform and can perform offshore patrol as a secondary role. The catalog counterpart of this design family is examined in the CTS-90 file.
| Program | Customer | Scope | Contractor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frigate export | Indonesia | 2 İstanbul class, ~1 billion $ | TAIS + Barzan Holding | Agreement January 2026 |
| Training ships | Qatar | QTS 91 Al Doha, QTS 92 Al-Shamal | ADİK (TAIS partner) | Delivered 2021-2022 |
| Fleet support ships | India | 5 ships, 45,000 t, design/engineering | TAIS + HSL | Cancelled; moved to indigenous model |
| MİLGEM corvettes | Pakistan | 4 Babur class | ASFAT (not TAIS) | Ongoing program |
| Ada-class corvettes | Ukraine | 2 ships | RMK Marine (not TAIS) | First ship launched 2022 |
India: a tender won, a contract cancelled
According to a 2020 report by Army Recognition, TAIS was selected as the Turkish side of a cooperation worth roughly 2.1 billion dollars (160 billion rupees) with India’s state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) for the joint design and construction of five 45,000-ton fleet support ships; the tender had been won in May 2019. The process was never completed: according to April 2024 reports by ANI and the Indian press, India’s Ministry of Defence cancelled the design consultancy link with the Turkish firm; a fully indigenous contract was signed with HSL in August 2023, and the first steel was cut on 10 April 2024. Indian sources point to political unease over Ankara’s closeness to Pakistan as the background to the decision; the official justification was stated as indigenous industry share.
Pakistan and Ukraine: not TAIS programs
The two large export contracts of the MİLGEM design are often associated with all Turkish shipyards; the record says otherwise. The contractor for Pakistan’s four-ship Babur-class (MİLGEM) program is ASFAT, the operator of military factories and shipyards; the ships are being built at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard and at KSEW in Karachi. In Ukraine’s Ada-class corvette program the prime contractor is RMK Marine; the first ship, Hetman Ivan Mazepa, was launched on 2 October 2022. There is no official statement that TAIS holds a share in either program, and the two programs were therefore not included in the consortium’s reference list.
The tools of the export portfolio
The consortium’s outward-facing offer is made up of the BORA family, the OPV series and the amphibious platforms. The financing-partner model seen in the Indonesia agreement suggests that catalog products could be offered to third countries through similar structures; however, no new order has been officially announced.
Frequently asked questions
Is TAIS building Pakistan’s MİLGEM ships?
No. The contractor for the Pakistani program is ASFAT; construction runs at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard and KSEW. Any TAIS share in the program is not officially disclosed.
Who is building Ukraine’s corvettes?
The prime contractor is RMK Marine. The first ship, Hetman Ivan Mazepa, was launched in October 2022. TAIS is not a party to this program.
What does the Indonesia agreement cover?
Two İstanbul-class frigates worth roughly 1 billion dollars. The agreement was signed with Barzan Holding at DIMDEX in January 2026 and includes a risk-sharing and financing framework.
Why did the India deal not go ahead?
India’s Ministry of Defence cancelled the design link with the Turkish firm and moved the project to an indigenous model. The Indian press points to political reasons; the official justification was localization.
Did TAIS deliver the Qatari ships?
The contract and deliveries ran through TAIS partner Anadolu Shipyard (ADİK); the two ships were delivered in 2021 and 2022.
Sources and verification note
Program-to-contractor assignments were verified through multiple independent sources; programs not belonging to TAIS were explicitly separated out. Accessed: August 13, 2026.
- The Defense Post, “Turkey’s TAIS Signs $1B Frigate Agreement With Qatar’s Barzan for Indonesia” (21.01.2026): https://thedefensepost.com/2026/01/21/tais-frigate-agreement-indonesia/
- Naval News, “Turkey’s ADIK Shipyard Delivers First Training Ship For Qatar” (08.2021): https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/08/turkeys-adik-shipyard-delivers-first-training-ship-for-qatar/
- TURDEF, “Qatar Navy Received second Cadet Training Ship Al-Shamal”: https://turdef.com/article/qatar-navy-received-second-cadet-training-ship-al-shamal
- Army Recognition, “India signs deal with Turkey’s TAIS Shipyards for five fleet support vessels” (2020): https://armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2020/india-signs-deal-with-turkey-s-tais-shipyards-for-five-fleet-support-vessels
- ANI, “No role for Turkish firms in Indian Navy’s mega Fleet Support Ship project” (11.04.2024): https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/no-role-for-turkish-firms-in-indian-navys-mega-fleet-support-ship-project20240411174220/
- Breaking Defense, “Pakistan, Turkey Tighten Ties With First Corvette Launch” (08.2021): https://breakingdefense.com/2021/08/pakistan-turkey-tighten-ties-with-first-corvette-launch/
- Naval Today, “Ukraine’s first Milgem-class corvette launched” (03.10.2022): https://www.navaltoday.com/2022/10/03/ukraines-first-milgem-class-corvette-launched/
