On October 7, the 12th leaders' summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held. During his speech at the event, President Ilham Aliyev delivered several important messages and put forward proposals.
President Ilham Aliyev proposed that the armies of Turkic states conduct joint exercises in Azerbaijan.
“Considering the extensive cooperation between our countries in the military, defense, and security fields, I propose that joint military exercises of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States be held in Azerbaijan in 2026,” the head of our state said during his speech at the 12th OTS summit.
In a statement to Modern.az, Arzu Naghiyev, Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee on Defense, Security, and Anti-Corruption, stated that President Ilham Aliyev's proposal for the armies of Turkic states to conduct military exercises in Azerbaijan is not only symbolic but also a very important step from a practical point of view:
“One of the most important directions of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) summit held in Gabala was precisely security. It is imperative for every state to prevent threats directed against it. The main point is that the OTS is taking steps from a soft power phase towards resolving military issues, conducting exercises, exchanging information at the level of special services, and absolutely solving other problems. With the proposal of Mr. President Ilham Aliyev, the conduct of military exercises by member states in Azerbaijan is not only symbolic but also a very important step from a practical point of view. This is not a military event. It is a very strategic, well-thought-out step towards the security integration of the Turkic world.”
The committee chairman emphasized that this step could strengthen the legal and political foundations of a structure like a “Turkic NATO” in the future:
“However, at the current moment, the goal is to foster a culture of cooperation, coordination, and mutual defense. It is known that security and defense cooperation will be deepened further. Tactical and strategic compatibility will be created between the armies of Turkic states. Strategic solidarity will be demonstrated in the region, and it will be possible to practically test various strategies, tactics, and defense mechanisms. At the same time, the coming together of countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan in this process will lay the groundwork for the concept of a united power of the Turkic world and its formation.”
Arzu Naghiyev stated that the term “Turkic NATO” is mostly used in a political-analytical context.
"For now, this is not a formal initiative. However, experience is being gathered in this direction. Turkey, as a NATO member, already shares its experience and military standards with other Turkic states. There are alliance relations, the “Shusha Declaration,” and other agreements between Azerbaijan and Turkey. Similar declarations also exist among other Turkic states. Issues such as the development of the defense industry, training, and personnel exchange are of great importance. This, of course, is not a structure that will be established overnight; it is clear that this process must be refined. There will be states that oppose this. They will put forward various opinions regarding security issues. However, the main point is the creation of common security. Re-examining defense issues in cases of regional instability, external threats, and instability, and creating a security belt in various directions in Central Asia and the South Caucasus is a very important issue. I believe that Mr. President's proposal will make very significant contributions. With this, it is possible to seriously increase the political weight of Turkic states in the face of major powers. Every state builds its independent domestic and foreign policy. Today, preventing threats against the state and statehood is the most important issue and strategy. They may try to present this as an alternative to NATO and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). But this can be complementary, not an alternative. That is, the goal is not to create a new bloc, but to increase the self-defense and strategic coordination capabilities of the Turkic world. In this regard, I would like to reiterate that, as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Mr. Ilham Aliyev's proposal in this direction is of great importance. This should be accepted as the most important and correct decision in the context of global events.”
