Azerbaijan, Baykar sign logistics and sales pact at major defence fair in Istanbul

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defence has signed a “Logistics Support and Sales Agreement” with Turkish defence company Baykar, further strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries. 

The agreement was formalised during the IDEF-2025 International Defence Industry Fair, one of the world’s leading events for defence and security technology.

Baykar announced the development in a statement published on its official page on the social network X, expressing optimism about the growing partnership. “We hope that this cooperation will be beneficial for both brotherly countries,” the company said, underscoring the close strategic ties between Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

The agreement adds a new dimension to the defence collaboration between Baku and Ankara, especially in the field of advanced drone and aerospace systems. Baykar, known for its cutting-edge unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including the Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı drones, has emerged as one of Türkiye’s flagship defence technology exporters. The company’s UAVs have seen extensive operational use in a number of conflict zones, including in Azerbaijan during the 2020 Karabakh war.

Founded in 1986, Baykar has rapidly risen to become a global player in drone warfare technology. The firm is renowned for its vertical integration, developing nearly all subsystems — including avionics, software, and airframes — in-house. Its products have been exported to dozens of countries, and the company is widely regarded as a symbol of Türkiye’s growing self-reliance in defence production.

The agreement was signed against the backdrop of IDEF-2025, which is being held under the auspices of the Turkish Ministry of National Defence. This year’s edition has drawn over 1,000 high-level delegates from around the globe, including heads of state, defence ministers, and senior military officials, emphasising the fair’s global reach.

More than 400 defence and aerospace products from 44 countries are being showcased at the exhibition, spanning land, air, naval, and cyber defence technologies. IDEF-2025 serves as a key platform for international cooperation, innovation exchange, and defence diplomacy — and the Azerbaijan-Baykar agreement is among its most notable outcomes so far.

By Tamilla Hasanova