Turkish Techno-Nationalism in the Making: The Rise of the Defence Industry and its Political Instrumentalisation
Turkish Techno-Nationalism in the Making: The Rise of the Defence Industry and its Political Instrumentalisation

Summary/Abstract: This paper aims to analyse the techno-nationalist development of the Turkish defence industry over the past twenty years (2003-2023), by using various sources such as the Military Balance+ and the arms transfer databases of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). It argues that, thanks to government efforts and different factors (geopolitical challenges, increasing security threats, sanctions and exports boom), Türkiye’s level of self-sufficiency has increased, although it continues to rely on imports of high value-added technology. Despite the challenges, this technology is still largely procured from its Western allies. The paper highlights that techno-nationalism has gained prominence in politics and facilitates the expression of national pride (boosted by the latest defence industry achievements, particularly in the drone industry) not only during the electoral campaigns, but also during the so-called Teknofests, which link these successes to the government.

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