Strengthening political ties between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia is boosting bilateral economic cooperation and trade, while also contributing to regional stability.
As two key players in the Middle East, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have in recent years deepened their long-standing relationship through a growing number of high-level reciprocal visits.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to pay another key visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
He is expected to be officially received by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al Yamamah Palace in the capital, Riyadh.
The visit will feature the “Saudi Arabia–Türkiye Business Forum,” organised by Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade and the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK).
Ahead of the trip, the Saudi Council of Ministers last week authorised relevant bodies to finalise agreements with Türkiye in renewable energy and civil defence, and approved a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in social services.
Century-old ties
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, which established diplomatic relations with the signing of the Friendship Treaty in 1929, have built strong ties over nearly a century through high-level reciprocal visits and regional organisations such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
As bilateral relations strengthened through diplomatic visits, then-Saudi King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visited Türkiye in 1966 as part of efforts toward unity among Muslim countries.
The two countries entered a new phase of rapprochement based on shared interests during the Iran-Iraq War, during which then-Turkish President Kenan Evren also visited Saudi Arabia.
With an agreement signed in Jeddah on October 11, 2003, between the Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Türkiye-Saudi Arabia Business Council was established under the umbrella of DEIK.
Then-Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visited Türkiye on August 8, 2006, accompanied by more than 50 businesspeople. This marked the first king-level visit to Türkiye in 40 years.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed a protocol establishing the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) to strengthen economic cooperation across various sectors.
The close relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are also reflected in bilateral trade.
Saudi Arabia, which derives 85-90 percent of its state revenues from oil, exports crude oil and petrochemical products to Türkiye, while importing various goods from Türkiye, including carpets, processed stones for construction, tobacco products, food, and furniture.
According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, bilateral trade volume reached $8 billion in 2024.
Defence, military partnership
Developing diplomatic and trade relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia has also positively affected military cooperation.
ASELSAN signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2015 with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and TAQNIA DST to enhance cooperation in defence electronics.
Following assessments that ASELSAN’s products could meet the needs of relevant Saudi institutions, a cooperation agreement was signed between ASELSAN and TAQNIA DST in 2016.
The Saudi Defense Electronics Company (SADEC), established through a partnership between ASELSAN and TAQNIA DST, represents one of the most significant collaborations between the two countries.
Baykar, the maker of combat drones, also signed an export and cooperation agreement with the Saudi Ministry of Defense in July 2023 for the Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). The agreement was recorded as the largest defence and aviation export contract in the history of Türkiye.
Cooperation in the Middle East
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, as major military and economic powers in the region, have achieved significant successes in regional policies through strengthened political and diplomatic relations in recent years.
By maintaining a mature balance based on controlled competition and cooperation rather than conflict, Ankara and Riyadh have demonstrated effective stances through institutions such as the OIC and the United Nations (UN) regarding crises in Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.
After Israel began its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia aligned their positions on the Palestinian issue, sharing overlapping interests in supporting a two-state solution and playing a joint role in a potential political settlement.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also demonstrated strong cooperation with other regional countries to ensure internal peace and stability in Syria, where the Bashar al Assad regime was overthrown in December 2024.
Supporting the new administration under President Ahmed al Sharaa, the Turkish and Saudi governments played an important role in the lifting of international sanctions that would contribute to Syria’s reconstruction process.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also continue to demonstrate strong stances in favour of stability through humanitarian aid efforts and diplomatic support in international platforms, not only in Yemen, which has been the scene of internal conflicts for many years, but also in the crises in Sudan and Somalia.
