Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia signed a defence cooperation agreement on Wednesday to strengthen their military capabilities and deepen ties between their defence industries, the Turkish Defence Ministry said.

The ministry said the countries signed the “Badr Memorandum of Understanding” in Doha, signalling their commitment to expanding cooperation and developing partnerships.

“The agreement holds substantial economic importance,” it said, adding that the accord aims to promote military production, strengthen military capabilities and encourage collaboration in technical military training, research and development.

“By leveraging the unique military production capabilities of each country, the initiative will facilitate cooperation and integration, enhance defence industrial capacities, and enable the fulfilment of the needs of allied and friendly nations,” it added.

Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a strong defence industry, has been helping Gulf nations strengthen their defences amid the Iran war. It also maintains a military base in Qatar.

In August, Ankara signed a mutual defence pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Under the agreement, an attack on one party constitutes an attack on all. Turkey also maintains close ties with Indonesia, particularly in the defence industry.

The Turkish Defence Ministry said the Badr accord would strengthen links between the countries’ defence industries and promote cooperation to improve security and achieve shared objectives.