Azerbaijan to boost defense production with Turkish collaboration, defense minister says

Azerbaijan will meet its needs for modern weapons, equipment and ammunition by taking advantage of Türkiye's capabilities, its defense minister said on Wednesday.

Speaking to state media on the 106th anniversary of the Azerbaijani army, Zakir Hasanov said Türkiye is Azerbaijan's top military cooperation partner and according to Shusha Declaration the two nations are allies.

He said the integration of Turkish and Azerbaijani armed forces is advanced in all areas, not just in training and exercises.

"In addition to experience sharing, significant work is being done in the defense industry. Soon, the production of the most modern weapons and equipment, or their parts, will begin in Azerbaijan.

"It is pleasing to see the rapid development of Türkiye's defense industry. We're not just talking about Bayraktar and Akinci [drones], the Turkish defense industry has advanced greatly in other areas as well. Azerbaijan is certainly benefiting from this, and efforts in this direction are progressing rapidly," he said.

Hasanov highlighted the increase in global conflict and arms races, saying Azerbaijan is prepared and has the capability to meet 70% of its own needs.

The goal is to advance further by producing own missiles and ammunition and leveraging Türkiye's capabilities for joint production of modern weapons and equipment, he added.