President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday stressed what he said was a strong mutual will between Türkiye and Pakistan to further expand their defense cooperation, as the two countries launched the latest corvette warship tailored for the Pakistan Navy.
Erdoğan was accompanied by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other officials during the inauguration ceremony for PNS Khyber, the third of the four MILGEM corvettes built by Türkiye for Pakistan, at Istanbul Shipyard.
"The solidarity between us is strengthening day by day with a strategic perspective decisively based on the history, friendship and potential of the two countries," Erdoğan said.
"The defense industry is one of the important pillars of this cooperation."
For his part, Sharif said that the promotion of defense cooperation between Pakistan and Türkiye is for peace, not for war or aggression.
Sharif thanked Erdoğan and the people of Türkiye for always standing behind his country in every difficult time.
"Pakistan and Türkiye are deeply engaged in promoting our defense capabilities for peace, not for war or aggression, and as they say, if you want to live in peace, you must be prepared for war," Sharif said.
"So, this [MILGEM corvette ships] is not for aggression. This is for defense," he noted.
The MILGEM (National Ship) marine platforms project is a Turkish warship program that aims to develop multipurpose corvettes and frigates that can be deployed in a range of missions.
These include reconnaissance, surveillance, early warning, anti-submarine warfare, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air warfare, and amphibious operations.
In July 2018, the Pakistan Navy signed a contract for the acquisition of four Ada class ships with Turkish state-owned defense firm ASFAT.
According to the plan, two corvettes were envisaged to be built in Türkiye and the other two in Pakistan, in a deal that included technology transfer.
The first corvette for the Pakistan Navy, PNS Babar, was launched in Istanbul in August 2021, while the foundation for the second ship, PNS Badr, was laid in Karachi in May this year.
The deliveries of the ships, which will be able to perform all kinds of military duties from air defense to submarine defense, are expected to be made at six-month intervals starting from August 2023.
Erdoğan said Pakistan has always been highly respected by the Turkish people and said that MILGEM is among the most important cooperation projects that "crown our relations."
Sharif thanked the Turkish president and the people of Türkiye for helping and standing behind Pakistan during the recent devastating flood in Pakistan.
"Recently, when Pakistan was hit by one of the most devastating floods and Türkiye again was in the front line. It was so kind [ when President Erdogan] called me that night and said, Shehbaz Sharif, what can I do for you, and what Türkiye can do for Pakistan," he recalled.
Türkiye sent 72,000 tons of humanitarian assistance, including 15 Turkish military aircraft, 13 "goodness trains," and Turkish Red Crescent trucks, which brought humanitarian resistance for flood victims, he said.
'Evidence' of mutual support
The MILGEM corvettes feature state-of-art surface, sub-surface and anti-air weapons and sensors, integrated through an advanced network central combat management system.
The vessels are on average 99 meters (325 feet) long with a displacement capacity of around 24,00 tons and can move at a speed of 29 nautical miles.
The anti-submarine combat frigates, which can be hidden from the radar, will further enhance the defense capability of the Pakistan Navy.
Addressing the ceremony in Istanbul, Pakistan Naval chief Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi said that induction of the MILGEM corvette ships would further strengthen the maritime defense and deterrence capabilities of Pakistan.
"The induction of these ships in the Pakistan Navy will significantly strengthen our maritime defense and deterrence capabilities, which will ensure secure and stable seas for international trade and economy," he said.
He added that the presence of top leadership of both countries in the ceremony shows cordial relations between the two brotherly countries.
"Pakistan and Türkiye enjoy historical and special relations. Long-lasting and deep-rooted friendship has endured the test of time and rests firmly on the pillars of trust, deep respect and mutual support based on principles.
"The same is manifested in our military collaborations, as the construction of MILGEM corvette ships for the Pakistan navy is evidence," he added.
Erdoğan reiterated the fact that Türkiye is one of only 10 countries in the world that can design, build and maintain warships using its national capabilities.
"We will not stop until we move Türkiye to first place in the world's super league in the field of the defense industry, and we will continue our fight," he noted.
The MILGEM project was initiated in 2000 to locally design and build a fleet of multipurpose corvettes and frigates that will replace older ships.
The project has so far completed the deliveries of four Ada-class corvettes, the first of which was the TCG Heybeliada in 2011, the second was the TCG Büyükada in 2013, the third the TCG Burgazada in 2018 and the fourth ship, the TCG Kınalıada in 2019.
The fifth vessel, the first MILGEM I-class frigate of its kind, the Istanbul Frigate (F-515), was launched in January last year.
Trilateral cooperation
Hailing longstanding bilateral ties, the Turkish president said his country is also rapidly developing its trilateral cooperation with Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
"In addition to our bilateral cooperation, we also exchanged views on important regional and international issues on our common agenda," Erdoğan said in a joint news conference with Sharif, held after the MILGEM ceremony and following a meeting behind closed doors in Istanbul.
Türkiye, he said, has many successful joint cooperation projects aiming for the peace and stability of South Asia with Pakistan.
The trade volume between two countries has reached $1 billion and that it continues to expand, he added.
"We have the necessary political will and determination to achieve our $5 billion trade volume target."
The Turkish leader also commented on the situation in Afghanistan as he said establishing "peace and stability in Afghanistan is essential in terms of common threats and risks, beyond our humanitarian duty for our Afghan brothers."
He said they will continue to work together to "eliminate the effects of the humanitarian crisis faced by the Afghan people."
Erdoğan also pointed to the solidarity and mutual cooperation between Türkiye and Pakistan and reiterated Ankara's support for Islamabad's counter-terrorism efforts.
"We have always seen Pakistan's pain as our pain, its joy as our joy and its success as our success," he said.
Sharif on Friday proposed extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), inviting Türkiye to join the multi-billion-dollar project.
"China and Pakistan are great friends and we are experiencing and enjoying the benefits of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under the Belt and Road Initiative of (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping). I would suggest let this be a cooperation between China, Pakistan, and Türkiye," Sharif told the news conference, calling it a "wonderful joint cooperation."
Sharif also said such cooperation among the three nations "will bring prosperity and progress in this entire region."
"This will help the alleviation of poverty and unemployment. This will promote education and this is how we can really meet the challenges of today," the Pakistani prime minister said.
Sharif said he will be "very happy" to talk to his "Chinese friends."
"If we can move in this direction, I think, this would be a wonderful opportunity to really capitalize" he added.
Since 2014, China has invested around $28 billion in various energy and infrastructure projects in the South Asian country under the CPEC, allowing the world's second-largest economy to reach the warm waters of the Arabian Sea via the Gwadar Port in the southwestern Balochistan province.
Sharif also extended condolences to Türkiye on the deadly Nov. 13 terror attack in Istanbul.
"Our heart goes out" to the victims, said Sharif, referring to the terror attack on Istiklal Avenue which killed six people and injured 81 others.