Al-Khorayef, who is also the acting governor of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries, made the remarks to Anadolu on the sidelines of the Türkiye-Saudi Arabia Defense Industry Days, held Wednesday and Thursday in Istanbul.

The event was organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye, the SAHA Istanbul defense and aerospace cluster and Saudi Arabian Military Industries, with more than 100 companies from both countries participating to explore cooperation and investment opportunities.

Cooperation amid regional challenges

“We are witnessing very significant work in the defense industry sector. Without a doubt, the Turkish experience in defense industries is pioneering and is something we in the Kingdom can also learn from,” Al-Khorayef said.

“The challenges facing the region require us to work closely together to localize many industries,” he added.

He pointed to growing industrial ties between Saudi Arabia and Türkiye and expanding cooperation, particularly following the launch of the Kingdom’s industrial and mining strategies and amid rapid development in the defense sector.

Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in attracting investment and is seeking to draw more through partnerships with Türkiye, he said.

Al-Khorayef welcomed the convergence of interests between the two countries in the defense industry and said both sides are looking to continue joint efforts to deepen ties in the sector.

Empowering the private sector

Al-Khorayef said Saudi-Turkish defense industry cooperation is based on shared interests, with both governments playing a role in enabling the private sector to lead investment and development.

He said private-sector engagement is guided by three main pillars.

The first is identifying the industrial priorities Riyadh seeks to develop, while the second is creating a supportive environment for private companies, including through infrastructure, financing and support programs.

The third is ensuring the availability of contracts and a clear view of expected demand, allowing companies to plan investments and expand production.

Advanced technologies, young talent

On the future of the defense industry, the Saudi minister stressed the importance of advanced technologies and qualified human resources in developing the sector.

“The future of the sector is changing significantly, and the introduction of technologies into military and defense industries is a key pillar,” he said.

“I believe that both the Kingdom and Türkiye have strong youth capabilities, and the human resources and education systems in both countries will be among the most important foundations on which the future of this industry will be built,” he added.

Al-Khorayef said Saudi Arabia is focused on attracting companies with expertise and development capabilities, pointing to the role of Saudi Arabian Military Industries and the Rukn program in showcasing available opportunities.

He said the participation of a large number of Turkish companies in the event reflected their commitment to understanding the needs of the Saudi market and exploring avenues for joint work.

Growing defense partnerships

On Thursday, Secretary of the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries Haluk Gorgun said Türkiye is ready to expand defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at the event, Gorgun said Türkiye has more than 1,400 defense industry projects with a combined portfolio worth around $120 billion.

He said Turkish defense companies are carrying out joint projects with their Saudi counterparts in support of the Kingdom’s goal of producing at least 50% of its military spending, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.