Chief of the Air Staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu has undertaken an official visit to Türkiye to strengthen strategic military relations and enhance defence cooperation between the two countries, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Upon arriving at the Turkish Air Force Headquarters, the Pakistan Air Force chief was welcomed with a formal guard of honour before beginning a series of high-level engagements focused on boosting bilateral military collaboration.
During the visit, Air Chief Marshal Sidhu held detailed discussions with Turkish Air Force Commander Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu. Both sides agreed to further expand defence cooperation, particularly through increased joint air exercises and advanced training programmes.
General Kadıoğlu acknowledged the Pakistan Air Force’s longstanding contribution in training Turkish pilots and praised the professional cooperation and trust shared between the two air forces.
The PAF chief also met Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, where both countries reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing collaboration in defence production, institutional capacity building, and military training.
A major focus of the visit was future defence technology cooperation. Air Chief Marshal Sidhu held a key meeting with Selçuk Bayraktar, Chief Technology Officer of Baykar Technologies, one of Türkiye’s leading defence companies.
The discussions concentrated on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and the integration of advanced defence technologies into modern operational frameworks. Both sides expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation in next-generation aerospace and defence technologies to address evolving regional security challenges.
