Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan concluded his first Asian tour of 2025 from February 10 to 13, which included three countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan. The tour saw political alignment between Ankara and the respective capitals (Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Islamabad) on current regional and international issues, particularly support for the Palestinian cause, ending the war in Ukraine, and enhancing international cooperation. They agreed to elevate their strategic partnership, culminating in the signing of 48 agreements between Ankara and the three nations, notably in the defense sector, with Indonesia purchasing 69 drones and Malaysia and Pakistan signing defense cooperation agreements. This tour marks a turning point in Turkey’s cooperation with South and Southeast Asian countries, given their increasing geopolitical significance in the current international landscape and Turkey’s aim to enhance its regional role amidst Middle Eastern political complexities.
Key Outcomes
Erdoğan’s Asian tour, starting in Malaysia, gained added significance due to its timing, coinciding with shifts in the international political scene following U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The journey reinforced economic, commercial, and defense collaboration between Ankara and the three nations and its political implications in Southeast Asia amid the anticipated trade war between Beijing and Washington, alongside developments in the Middle East. The visit yielded several key results:
Agreement to Enhance the Strategic Partnership between Malaysia and Turkey: Erdoğan began his Asian tour in Kuala Lumpur on February 10, where he was received by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. They held the first meeting of the joint committee of foreign ministers to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, agreeing to establish a “High-Level Strategic Council” to enhance cooperation and strategic partnership between the two countries. Ibrahim emphasized that “Malaysia and Turkey are two nations with one heart” and highlighted Turkey’s indispensable role on the global stage. The two countries signed 11 memorandums of understanding to boost collaboration in energy sector transformation, disaster management, defense, trade, and media cooperation.
Meeting of the High Council for Strategic Cooperation between Ankara and Jakarta: Erdoğan continued to his second destination in Bogor, south of Jakarta, where he was welcomed by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. They agreed to elevate their relations to a strategic partnership while celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, leading to the first meeting of the “High-Level Turkish-Indonesian Strategic Cooperation Council.” The two nations signed 13 agreements and memoranda across various sectors, including religious affairs, cooperation between the ministries of energy and mineral resources, higher education, health and medical sciences, defense industries, trade exchange, agriculture, investment promotion, technological cooperation, establishing a drone manufacturing plant in Indonesia, and technical and broadcasting cooperation.
Signing of a Declaration to Deepen the Strategic Partnership between Pakistan and Turkey: Erdoğan held discussions with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, resulting in a joint declaration to “deepen, diversify, and establish the strategic partnership.” Sharif emphasized the fraternal ties between the people of Pakistan and Turkey, calling them “one nation, two peoples.” The visit included the “High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council” session, leading to the signing of 24 cooperation agreements across various fields.
Increased Economic Cooperation between Ankara and Malaysia: Erdoğan and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed their commitment to enhancing economic cooperation through increased trade and investment partnerships, exploring new agricultural collaboration opportunities, and developing cooperation in tourism and aviation. Ibrahim revealed that the joint trade volume with Turkey surged by 18.9% in 2024, reaching 5.1billion;ifthistrendcontinues,theyaimtoachievea5.1billion;ifthistrendcontinues,theyaimtoachievea10 billion trade volume within five years. Notably, Turkey is Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner and the top destination for its exports in 2024.
Expanding Trade Relations between Turkey and Indonesia and Pakistan: Indonesia and Turkey agreed on a “Free Trade” pact to elevate trade exchanges to 10billionannuallyby2026throughapreferentialtradeagreementexpandedintoacomprehensiveeconomicpartnership.ThebilateraltradevaluebetweenIndonesiaandTurkeyreached10billionannuallyby2026throughapreferentialtradeagreementexpandedintoacomprehensiveeconomicpartnership.ThebilateraltradevaluebetweenIndonesiaandTurkeyreached2.4 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, Turkey and Pakistan announced an increase in their trade volume from the current 1billionannuallyto1billionannuallyto5 billion through enhanced cooperation and new investment opportunities, particularly in agriculture and mineral extraction.
Developing Partnerships in Defense Industries: The tour resulted in Turkey signing a joint defense manufacturing agreement and selling drones to Indonesia. Turkish company Baykar and Indonesian firm Republicorp agreed to deliver 60 Turkish Bayraktar TB3 drones and nine Akıncı drones, which are combat UAVs capable of carrying 1,500 kg missiles, with plans for a local military manufacturing facility in Indonesia to produce some components domestically. Additionally, Malaysian Defense Minister Mohammad Khalid Nordin announced the signing of two memoranda of understanding for industrial cooperation between Turkey and Malaysia, creating a “Joint Defense Products Committee” and a committee for cooperation in “strategic communication systems.” A partnership was established between Malaysian Selangor Innovation in Aviation and Technology and Turkey’s Defense Industries Agency to develop smart city solutions and traffic and security systems. Malaysia had previously struck a deal in 2024 to buy three Turkish corvettes for its navy, exemplifying Turkey as a significant defense partner for Pakistan, which signed a deal for purchasing Turkish electronic warfare aircraft to boost local defense production and reduce reliance on Western arms suppliers.
Enhancing Security Cooperation and Counterterrorism: Erdoğan and Ibrahim underscored the importance of Turkish-Malaysian cooperation in combating terrorism and transnational organized crime. Ankara and Jakarta signed a memorandum of understanding to expand collaborative training opportunities in cybersecurity, intelligence, and counterterrorism and reiterated their commitment to combating all forms of crime and enhancing cooperation between intelligence and police agencies to assess security risks, including joint military training and precise cooperation in counterterrorism and artificial intelligence. Pakistan and Turkey renewed their commitment to intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism, particularly regarding Turkish interest in Afghan developments and Pakistan’s pivotal role against terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan (such as ISIS-Khorasan and the Pakistani Taliban). Turkey continues to support Islamabad logistically in its fight against terrorism, while Ankara conducts extensive security operations against ISIS elements that have infiltrated Turkey from Afghanistan.
Energy Cooperation: Turkey is keen on developing energy partnerships as it faces resource deficiencies. Ankara and Jakarta agreed to collaborate on developing renewable energy sources, including geothermal energy, and promote innovation in clean energy technology. Meanwhile, Turkey and Malaysia signed a memorandum for cooperation in secure energy transformation, expressing interest in cooperation in the extraction of oil, natural gas, and mining. Pakistan urged Ankara to capitalize on solar and wind energy projects available to foreign investors.
Cultural and Technological Ties: Turkey and Malaysia signed an agreement to enhance cooperation in technology and space sciences, focusing on developing small satellites for remote sensing to bolster their space capabilities. They announced the formation of a “Joint Committee on Higher Education,” with Ibrahim asserting that the Turkish-Malaysian business forum would serve as a platform for promoting innovation and creativity. Both nations are working to strengthen cultural and academic ties, with Indonesia hosting about 4,500 Malaysian university students and expressing interest in hosting the Turkish Teknofest Aviation and Technology Festival in 2026. Additionally, Ankara invited collaboration with Pakistan, which houses over 600,000 IT professionals and around 300,000 digital freelancers, facilitating technological partnerships between the two countries.
Geopolitical Implications
Erdoğan’s Asian tour successfully met its objectives by enhancing the strategic partnership, boosting defense cooperation, and promoting Turkish drones that have seen success over the last five years. The tour also has several implications for Turkish foreign policy, including:
Strengthening Turkish-Asian Connectivity: Erdoğan’s visit to the three nations elevates Turkey’s regional role in South and Southeast Asia, given the geopolitical significance of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan, which share common ties of Islam, culture, support for Islamic causes like Palestine, and status as developing economies. This was expressed by Ibrahim, who described Erdoğan as a “defender of justice and human rights, advocating for peace and fair solutions globally, not just in Gaza.” Similarly, Prabowo referred to Erdoğan as a “close friend,” underscoring their close cooperation. The three countries view Turkey as a reliable strategic ally capable of providing support in the face of external challenges, enhancing collaboration in economic, strategic, and military-security fields that would benefit each nation.
Extending Consensus on the Palestinian Cause: Erdoğan prioritized the Palestinian issue during his Asian discussions, reflecting a consensus between Indonesia, Pakistan, and Turkey, along with Malaysia, on supporting Palestinian and Arab positions, particularly regarding the refusal of displacement, halting Israeli aggression, and rebuilding Gaza. Turkey might leverage this consensus within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, of which all four nations are members, as well as in the Group of 8 Developing Nations and the United Nations, to maintain support for the Palestinian issue until a two-state solution is realized. Erdoğan and Ibrahim called on the international community to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people and to lift the blockade on Gaza permanently. Malaysia and Turkey also committed to rallying ASEAN nations to assist in Gaza’s reconstruction.
Potential Intensification of Turkish-Indian-Chinese Competition: Despite Turkey’s good relations with both India and China, Erdoğan’s recent Asian tour could provoke rivalry with Beijing, which is ASEAN’s primary trading partner and competes for influence in the South China Sea. Turkey’s alignment with ASEAN on this issue, coupled with its support for the Rohingya cause, may further thaw relations with China, mirroring earlier postponements of the Chinese President’s visit to Turkey. Additionally, Erdoğan’s visit to Pakistan might provoke India, which opposes the Ankara-Islamabad alliance, as Turkey backs Pakistan’s claims in Kashmir and Jammu, prompting India to cancel a $2.3 billion deal with Turkish Anadolu Shipyard to build ships for its navy. This is compounded by Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan against India’s Armenian backing during their recent conflicts. The competition in Central Asia, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa between Ankara, New Delhi, and Beijing may also affect trilateral cooperation.
Ankara’s Efforts to Broaden Its Engagement Beyond Europe: Erdoğan’s Asian tour reflects Turkey’s pursuit of diversifying its foreign engagement away from the West, particularly as its EU accession initiatives face significant hurdles. It seems increasingly challenging for Turkey to join the EU. The Asian nations offer Turkey vital economic opportunities and a significant market for its military products while seeking membership in emerging Asian blocks like BRICS and the Shanghai Organization.
Serving NATO’s Objectives in Asia: Turkey’s NATO membership positions it to act as an (agent) for the alliance in the South and Southeast Asia region, where NATO aims to bolster its military influence and apply pressure on Beijing. Naturally, these maneuvers could further underline Turkey’s significance within NATO.
In conclusion, Erdoğan’s Asian tour, encompassing Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan, marks a pivotal moment in bolstering strategic partnerships with these nations and establishing Turkey’s regional role in South and Southeast Asia. It reflects the common ties and political alignment on pressing international issues within the Islamic world, such as the Palestinian cause, thereby enhancing Turkey’s regional influence. However, this endeavor faces challenges, primarily from major Asian powers (India and China) that may resist these developments.
