Türkiye to increase defense spending by 229 pct

ANKARA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye plans to boost defense spending by 229 percent over the next three years, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said on Sunday as he unveiled the country's three-year Medium-Term Economic Program for 2027-2029.

Demonstrators protest ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye, July 5, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

"In the defense industry, we aim for a Türkiye that develops its own technology and produces high added value," Yilmaz said at a press conference.

Under the program, Türkiye's 2026 growth forecast was cut from 3.8 percent to 3.3 percent, while its inflation projection was raised from 16 percent to 28.4 percent.

The country's military spending reached 30 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.