Türkiye will accelerate ongoing defence projects and find ways to meet the sector's needs, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 16th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul, Erdogan said on Friday that the prototypes of various products will be tested for domestic use and exports.

The four-day event, starting on Tuesday, exhibited cutting-edge technologies, systems and products in the defence and aerospace fields.

Touching on the country's advanced fighter jet Kaan, Erdogan said the aircraft will make its maiden flight by end of this year.

For years, he said, Türkiye was unable to use the weapons it imported to fight terrorism.

"We have been subjected to secret and obvious embargoes, we have been the victims of unfair and unlawful restrictions," he said.

"We have experienced double standards, injustice and disloyalty. In the face of these, we did not give up, we never turned from our path," Erdogan added.

Just 20 years ago, Türkiye met more than two thirds of its defence requirements from imports but now it relies on foreign sources for only 20 percent of its needs, he said.

During the 21-year period, Türkiye has achieved many successes, and victories and manufactured defence products that were once an unimaginable feat, the president said.

International delegations

IDEF hosted delegations from 81 countries as well as NATO, the Africa League and the Turkish-American Business Council.

Some 741 delegates from 189 delegations visited the event, while 1,461 companies, of which 772 are foreign, exhibited their products and systems at the event.

IDEF, where 5,000 business meetings were held in the 2023 edition, became a global brand in its field, Erdogan said.

The next event, the 17th IDEF, will be a platform for realising Türkiye's targets, he said.

A model for cooperation

Erdogan said Türkiye's model for defense industry cooperation is similar to how Ankara has pushed for humanitarian aid projects.

The country's target is not only selling defence products but also making medium- and long-term cooperation, he said.

Erdogan underlined that Türkiye does not agree with a trading method where one side is a producer and the other is always a customer.

Türkiye aims to establish relations based on mutual benefit, he added.

"It is not right to use such a vital issue as security as an element of threat and pressure between countries."

Erdogan said that everyone should be able to meet their security needs easily as long as they are legitimate and within the limits of international law.

"That's why we will continue to share our capabilities with friendly and brotherly countries," he said.

"We will stand by all our friends while meeting our own needs," he added.