Baku, Azerbaijan, April 20
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey has increased exports of defense industry products by 20 percent, Turkish Defense Industry Minister Ismail Demir said, Trend reports with reference to the Turkish media.
He said that in the first quarter of 2019, exports amounted to $2.1 billion.
He noted that by the end of 2018, Turkey’s net profit from the export of defense industry products amounted to $8.7 billion, which is 31 percent more than in 2017.
He added that in 2018, Turkey spent $1.4 billion on the development of the defense industry.
Earlier, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey will strengthen its defense industry and become a world leader in the production of defense products.
"I instruct all law enforcement agencies not to import products of the defense industry. Turkey is capable of providing itself with relevant products," Erdogan said.
According to him, the mass production of the Turkish-made ALTAY tank will begin in the near future.
"Turkey is forced to strengthen its defense industry," Erdogan said.
In recent years, Turkish investments in the defense industry reached about $35 billion.
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