The Strategic Imperative of Bangladesh–Türkiye Defence Cooperation

Reading Time: 3 minutes In recent years, Bangladesh’s defence diplomacy has matured significantly — shifting from passive procurement to strategic partnerships. Nowhere is this shift more visible than in its growing cooperation with Türkiye. As two Muslim-majority countries with shared geopolitical interests, Bangladesh and Türkiye have found common ground in a complex world increasingly defined by shifting alliances, transactional diplomacy, and emergent defence technologies. What began as limited military exports and training assistance has evolved into a burgeoning strategic relationship that now includes joint ventures, technology transfers, and co-development initiatives. This transformation is not merely symbolic. It represents a deliberate move by Dhaka to diversify its defence procurement away from over-reliance on traditional suppliers like China and Russia, while also steering clear of full Western dependency. Türkiye — a NATO member with its own indigenous defence ecosystem — offers a third way. From the Bangladesh Army’s acquisition of Otokar Cobra