Türkiye’s Defence Diplomacy in Southeast Asia: The New Kid on the Block

October 24, 2025 Ahmed Hassan - World News Editor World

Here’s a breakdown of the defense relationship between Malaysia and Türkiye, based on the provided text, organized for clarity:

Overall ‍Relationship:

* Türkiye is Malaysia’s seventh-largest defense partner ‍and its oldest in Southeast Asia.
* The relationship is growing, driven ‍by Malaysia’s need to strengthen its security presence, notably in the South China Sea, and increasing tensions with china.

Key Deals & acquisitions (Chronological Order):

* Early 2000s: Malaysia purchased 267 AVC-300 ​Adnan Infantry Fighting vehicles (IFVs) and other military vehicles from Türkiye, some ​assembled locally.
* 2022: Order‌ for 20 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for peacekeeping duties in Lebanon.
* 2024 (june): US$520 ​million contract with STM for three Ada-class corvettes, armed with ATMACA anti-ship missiles. Delivery starts in 2027.These will be based ‌in Muara Tebas, Sarawak, near the Kasawari Gas Field.
* 2025 (February): MOU signed during President Erdogan’s visit for a multi-Purpose Mission ship (MPMS) ‌for the Malaysian Maritime enforcement Agency (MMEA).
* 2025 (May): G7 Aerospace (Malaysia) and STM (Türkiye) agreement to co-produce tactical uavs in Malaysia.
* 2025 (May): US$68 million contract signed for the ​MPMS. Focus will be on surveillance in the South China Sea,addressing ⁣intrusions,illegal fishing,smuggling,and ⁣human trafficking.
* ​ 2025: Malaysia bought three ANKA-S surveillance ⁣drones from TAI for US$85 million. Delivery expected in 2026, based ⁣at Labuan Air Base ‍in east Malaysia for reconnaissance over the South China Sea.
*⁤ Future (Likely): STM is expected to tender for the construction of three Multi-Role ‌Support Ships (MRSS) for the⁣ Royal Malaysian⁤ Navy (RMN), facing competition from South Korea, Indonesia, and Italy.
*⁣ Potential Future: ​ TAI has offered ‌the Kaan fighter jet to Malaysia, as part of a potential restart of the​ Multi-Role Combat⁣ Aircraft⁢ (MRCA) program.

Strategic Context & Motivations:

* South China Sea: Malaysia is bolstering its naval‌ and aerial capabilities to assert its claims and protect its economic interests (like ​the Kasawari Gas Field) in the South China Sea, facing harassment from ⁢the China Coast Guard.
* ⁣ Shift Away from China: Malaysia is deliberately moving away from relying⁤ on China for naval vessels, likely due to escalating ⁢tensions in the South ‍China Sea. The first batch of Littoral mission Ships (LMS) were built with ‌China, but the second⁤ batch⁢ is being sourced ‌from Türkiye.
* Economic Considerations: Malaysia’s previous plans for a major fighter jet upgrade (MRCA) were suspended due to economic issues, leading to a temporary purchase of FA-50s from South Korea.

Key companies Involved:

* TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries): Supplier of ANKA-S drones and offering the Kaan⁤ fighter jet.
* STM (Savunma Teknolojileri ve Mühendislik): Building the Ada-class corvettes and MPMS, and⁢ likely to bid for the MRSS contract.
*​ G7 ⁢Aerospace (Malaysia): Partnering with STM to co-produce tactical UAVs.

In essence, the relationship is a strategic partnership where Türkiye is becoming a key defense supplier for Malaysia, helping it to modernize its armed forces and address security challenges in a contested maritime region.