Minister: Hungary’s defence industry “strategically important”

After meeting Türkiye’s minister of industry and technology on Thursday, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the defence minister, said developing Hungary’s defence industry was “strategically important” and would help the economy “to leap forward”.

Türkiye, he noted, is Hungary’s strategic partner, and military cooperation “is also intense”. Hungary’s defence industry is attractive for foreign investors given the country’s geographical location, its highly educated workforce, the favourable tax system, and its political stability, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said at the press conference held with Mehmet Fatih Kacir.

During their meeting, they reviewed multiple cooperation openings and agreed on establishing a working group to manage them. The sector in Hungary is designed to meet the equipment needs of the modernised armed forces as well as helping to drive the country’s economy, he said.

The minister noted the establishment of the Defense Innovation Research Institute (VIKI), linked to the NATO DIANA innovation centre, thanks to which Hungarian companies can join development work with large international partners.

The year 2025 has been designated as Turkish-Hungarian science and innovation year, the Turkish minister said, adding that Hungary was an important trading partner, with trade volume doubling in the last 17 years and the common goal of 6 billion dollars per year.

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