IDA Türkiye 2026 brings defence and aviation sectors together in Ankara

IDA Türkiye 2026 opened at the Congresium Exhibition Center in Ankara with representatives from the defence and aviation sectors. İbrahim Yarsan, chairman of the OSSA board, said the event brought 359 companies together to pursue new business opportunities and access new markets.

IDA Türkiye 2026, which brings together Türkiye’s defence and aviation sectors, opened to visitors at the Congresium Exhibition Center in Ankara. Organised by the OSTİM Defence and Aviation Cluster (OSSA), the event is being held with the support of the Ministry of National Defence and the Presidency of Defence Industries.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, İbrahim Yarsan, chairman of the OSSA board, said the Defence and Aviation Industry Cooperation Days, launched in 2013, would continue under the name IDA Türkiye. Yarsan said this was not merely a change of name, but an effort to expand the structure built over the years toward a broader goal.

359 companies seek access to new markets

Yarsan said OSSA had 359 member companies, most of them small and medium-sized enterprises. He said IDA Türkiye aimed to increase interaction among companies, create new business opportunities and help firms enter different markets.

Yarsan said Türkiye’s defence and aviation industry had grown rapidly in recent years, with increases in product diversity and exports. He said that while major companies were advancing in global markets, the small and medium-sized enterprises in the supply chain also needed to grow. Yarsan described IDA Türkiye as a business development platform rather than a conventional trade fair.

According to information provided by Yarsan, the 2013 event included 2,000 bilateral meetings with representatives from 22 countries. The event hosted participants from 90 countries in subsequent years, and the total number of bilateral business meetings exceeded 8,000.

IDA Spain targeted for 2027

Yarsan said the goal was to turn IDA Türkiye into an international brand and announced that the first step would be taken in Spain. He said Spain had a strong aviation and defence industry and that Turkish companies wanted to increase cooperation with Spanish firms.

Yarsan said IDA Spain was planned to be held in Valencia in 2027 as part of cooperation that began with the city. He said the aim was to take a brand born in Türkiye to different markets around the world.

City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain (archive)

OSTİM highlights domestic production model

Orhan Aydın, chairman of the board of the OSTİM Organised Industrial Zone, said they benefited from the methods of the Presidency of Defence Industries to increase the share of domestic production in industry. Aydın said efforts were also being made to apply this approach in areas such as rail systems.

Panoramic view of the OSTİM Organised Industrial Zone in Ankara (archive)

Aydın said Türkiye had previously sourced all of its light rail systems, metro cars and high-speed train vehicles from abroad. He said the requirement for comparable work experience in tenders made it difficult for domestic companies to participate. Aydın said they brought sectors together to increase the share of domestic industry in tenders, adding that Türkiye had now reached the capacity to produce light rail cars, metro cars and high-speed trains using its own capabilities.

Aydın said ASELSAN was also involved in this process and that they were working to carry out similar efforts in other sectors.

Domestic National Electric Train Set (E44000) in Istanbul

Proposal to transfer defence industry expertise to health technologies

Seyit Ardıç, chairman of the board of the Ankara Chamber of Industry, said artificial intelligence, sensors, advanced materials, precision manufacturing, autonomous systems and cybersecurity solutions developed in the defence industry could increase efficiency in fields such as machinery, automotive, energy and health technologies.

Ardıç said transferring the knowledge and experience accumulated in the defence industry to health technologies was important. He said adapting products developed in health technologies to the specific needs of the defence sector could expand the market and strengthen domestic production. Ardıç added that establishing a Presidency of Health Industries inspired by the model of the Presidency of Defence Industries could give the sector fresh momentum.

Ardıç announced that they aimed to involve more companies operating in machinery, metalworking, electronics, cable manufacturing, automation, composite materials and software in high-value-added defence and aviation projects. He said relations between prime contractors and small and medium-sized enterprises should not remain limited to orders and procurement, adding that cooperation in joint design, product development, certification and long-term production should be strengthened.

Ardıç also said small and medium-sized enterprises should have easier access to testing infrastructure, international quality standards, qualified employees and suitable financing. He said predictable orders and long-term investment opportunities were essential for technological advancement.

Annual defence and aviation exports approach $11 billion

Gürsel Baran, chairman of the board of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, said a strong defence industry was important not only for countries’ security but also for technological independence, economic development and global competitiveness. Baran said technologies developed in the defence industry could be used in various fields, from automotive and healthcare to communications, energy, transport and space research.

Baran announced that the share of domestic production in the defence industry had risen from 20 percent in 2002 to more than 80 percent today. He said defence and aviation exports had increased from $248 million in the same period to nearly $11 billion on an annualised basis as of August, adding that approximately 4,000 companies operated in the sector.

Baran said more than 1,400 projects were being carried out in the sector and that the number of people directly employed had exceeded 100,000. He added that annual research and development spending had surpassed $3.5 billion.

Baran said small and medium-sized enterprises in the supply chain, alongside prime contractors, played an important role in the success of major projects. He said the OSTİM Organised Industrial Zone and OSSA had contributed to Ankara becoming a strong centre for the defence and aviation industry.

IDA Türkiye 2026, which brings together sector representatives from Türkiye and abroad, will continue until 16 October.