Türkiye-Malaysia Business Forum (2025)

The Türkiye-Malaysia Business Forum was an economic and commercial cooperation meeting held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre under the auspices of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as part of the official visit to Malaysia by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 10–11 February 2025. The forum was organized with the objectives of deepening, expanding and establishing new economic and strategic partnerships between Türkiye and Malaysia.

Türkiye and Malaysia marked the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2024 and elevated their ties to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). The business forum held in 2025 aimed to further deepen this partnership in economic and commercial terms.

Issues Discussed at the Forum

Trade and Investment

The goal was to increase bilateral trade volume, with plans to raise the current $5 billion trade volume between the two country to $10 billion. It was emphasized that the Türkiye-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement (MTFTA), which entered into force in 2015, would be expanded to cover services, investments and e-commerce.

Defense Industry Cooperation

The activities of Turkish companies ASELSAN, HAVELSAN and TUSAŞ like defense industry in Malaysia were discussed. STM’s commitment to build three corvette ships for the Royal Malaysian Navy was regarded as a significant indicator of defense industry cooperation. The establishment of a government-to-government mechanism for defense procurement and the enhancement of cooperation in technology transfer and common production areas were also addressed.

Energy and Renewable Resources

Joint initiatives were highlighted in the fields of hydrocarbons, renewable energy projects and clean energy technologies. Attention was drawn to the importance of securing and processing critical minerals.

ASEAN-Türkiye Relations

Tourism and Aviation

Discussions focused on increasing the number of flights between Malaysia and Türkiye and expanding cooperation in tourism.

The Palestine Issue

Attention was drawn to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The ceasefire process and the fight against Islamophobia were also discussed at the forum.

Agreements Signed and Joint Statement

During the meetings chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, eleven agreement were signed between representatives of the two government and the private sector. Additionally, Türkiye and Malaysia issued a 36-point joint statement committing to strengthen diplomatic, economic, defense and scientific cooperation.