Turkey’s Security Policy: National Defence Industry and Cross Border Operations

On October 4 2018, the TRT World Research Centre held a roundtable meeting on Turkey’s Security Policy: National Defence Industry and Cross Border Operations. This was part of a series of roundtable meetings forming part of the two-day TRT World Forum 2018, which included eight public sessions and 11 closed sessions. Turkey’s security policy has been revised to strengthen the national defence industry and apply hard power in foreign policy. Primarily, historical experience had played a key role in the development of Turkey’s defence industry when Turkey faced the US arms embargo following the 1974 Turkish military operations in Cyprus and the conflict with the PKK which generated a need for effective weaponry. Turkey has invested tremendously in their national defence industry during the AK Party era for the sake of being self-sufficient and technologically advanced. Simultaneously, it has been necessary in protecting the country from the increasing terrorist threat by PKK and Daesh. Turkey has conducted two major operations, namely Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch, in 2016 and 2018 respectively. This session seeks to identify key elements of Turkey’s evolving security policy through a discussion of the national defence industry and crossborder operations.