Key Takeaways:
- Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar and Indonesia signed the Badr Memorandum of Understanding in Doha on 21 October 2026, creating a flexible framework for defence-industry collaboration, technology transfer and military cooperation without automatic mutual-defence obligations.
- The agreement draws on complementary strengths—Qatari investment capacity, Türkiye’s growing arms exports, Pakistani manufacturing and military experience, and Indonesian production links—to reduce reliance on external suppliers amid Gulf security concerns.
- Unlike the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, Badr prioritises industrial and technological cooperation, though success will depend on overcoming differences in standards, procurement processes and sustained political commitment.
The Middle East is seeing an important shift in its security landscape. While security in the Gulf has long been linked to military security guarantees by external countries such as the United States, ongoing geopolitical tensions, uncertainties in the region and increasing threats to key infrastructure have caused many countries to shift to diversifying their security approach. The Badr Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) launched by Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar and Indonesia on the 21st October 2026 in Doha showcases this new trend, with a flexible framework for defence industry and military cooperation.
The MoU is important due to its unique approach to regional security. Unlike traditional military alliances, Badr focuses on building domestic defence capabilities and increasing collaborative working with technology and defence manufacturing. It shows countries can work together to strengthen their security by sharing technology.
The situation in the region means this agreement is important. The prolonged conflict between the United States and Iran has raised security concerns for energy facilities, maritime routes and key infrastructure within the Gulf. Given the importance of the region to the global energy industry, any conflict could cause international economic concerns. If maritime routes are disrupted or key facilities are attacked then energy prices, trade and investor confidence could be affected.
This has caused regional governments to look at ways to diversify their security. Modern conflicts show you need more than just high tech weaponry to be well-prepared for conflict. You need to have strong maintenance capabilities, knowledge of technology, strong supply chain, knowledgeable staff and domestic manufacturing capabilities. Badr helps provide some of these capabilities by creating opportunities for a wide range of defence industry collaboration.
Qatar can offer strong investment into defence manufacturing projects due to its strong financial capabilities. Türkiye has a growing defence industry and has experience in producing high tech military systems, shipbuilding, unmanned systems and armour. Pakistan can offer strong military capabilities and defence manufacturing capabilities, while Indonesia can offer extra manufacturing opportunities and a strategic link to Southeast Asia.
The diverse capabilities of each country means this could be more than just a diplomatic agreement. By encouraging collaboration in defence manufacturing, technology training, technology transfer and research, the four countries can build a stronger relationship between them. This will also mean they will be less reliant on external suppliers for some defence needs.
There are already existing relationships between the countries. Qatar has investment ties with Türkiye’s defence industry. Pakistan and Türkiye have a partnership to produce MILGEM ships. Türkiye and Indonesia have a partnership to produce tanks. Badr can bring these relationships together by creating an overarching framework and opening up opportunities for new collaborations.
Türkiye is experiencing growth in its defence industry. Defence and Aerospace exports grew by 48% in 2025. Arms exports have grown massively over the past 5 years with a reported increase of 122% (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute). As the 11 th largest arms supplier in the world, Türkiye’s defence industry is becoming increasingly competitive globally. Collaborating with Pakistan, Qatar and Indonesia will provide new opportunities for further growth.
However, Badr is important due to its flexible nature. The countries involved have varying geographical interests, security concerns and diplomatic relationships. Having to commit to automatic military obligations would cause issues and could discourage participation. By focusing on the areas where they all have mutual interests, countries can work together but make their own strategic decisions.
This is different to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. The MJDA is focused around joint defence obligations. Whereas Badr focuses around defence industry collaboration and military capabilities, without any automatic mutual defence obligations.
The fact that both exist shows that security collaboration doesn’t have to mean all countries are part of the same alliance. It will give countries more options to work together to meet their security needs. For Türkiye and Pakistan, being part of both will boost their diplomatic influence.
However, there could be issues in implementing this. There will be differences in the manufacturing standards, purchasing processes, technology and national interests. Technology transfer will also need clear agreements to ensure there are no issues. Without tangible projects and long-term political commitment, this could be difficult to really get off the ground.
The four countries will need to set clear goals, identify key areas to work on and create structures to manage the collaboration. By working together on research, training, manufacturing and long-term investment this could be achieved.
Overall, the Badr MoU demonstrates the recognition in the region that there needs to be a level of strategic flexibility, resilient manufacturing capabilities and independence in technology. This isn’t meant to replace current alliances but does provide another example of how countries can work together to improve their capabilities. If this is implemented successfully, it could become an important example of how collaboration between South Asia, the Gulf and Southeast Asia can create a more balanced and interlinked security landscape.
