Uzbekistan and Turkey sign 2026 military cooperation plan

The document was inked by Uzbekistan’s Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Shukhrat Khalmukhamedov, and Turkey’s Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler. The agreement outlines a comprehensive framework for military cooperation between the two countries in 2026.

On 20 January, Khalmukhamedov and Güler held bilateral talks at the Turkish Ministry of National Defense, both in a one-on-one format and at the level of official delegations. The discussions focused on regional security issues and cooperation in the defense industry.

Following the talks, the two sides signed a package of documents aimed at enhancing military capacity and improving coordination between their armed forces. After the signing ceremony, Güler described defense relations between Turkey and Uzbekistan as being elevated to the level of a strategic partnership. Khalmukhamedov echoed this assessment, noting that Turkey’s experience in defense manufacturing and military training would play a significant role in modernizing Uzbekistan’s armed forces and strengthening its overall military capabilities.

The 2026 military cooperation plan provides for joint military exercises, exchanges aimed at improving personnel qualifications, and stages of technical cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces. Agreements were also reached in the field of military medicine, including the professional development of military doctors, military hospital management, the study of military medical technologies, experience-sharing initiatives, and training programs at various levels.

In parallel, a meeting was held under the “4+4” mechanism, bringing together the foreign, interior, and defense ministers of both countries, as well as the heads of their security services. Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov said the meeting addressed key bilateral issues, regional developments, and global processes. A joint action plan for the near term was adopted to ensure effective coordination of efforts.

The same day, the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and Turkey convened the fourth meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group. Saidov said the talks covered a wide range of issues within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership, including trade and investment, energy security, regional connectivity, counterterrorism and other transnational threats, labor migration, culture, education, and tourism.

According to officials, the meetings provided an important opportunity to prepare for the upcoming fourth session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, to be held under the co-chairmanship of the presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkey.

In addition, the two countries signed an inter-ministerial action plan between their foreign ministries for 2026–2027. The document is expected to serve as a roadmap for intensified cooperation aimed at creating favorable conditions for the peoples of both countries.