Kazakhstan and Turkiye have signed an agreement to establish a joint venture for the production and maintenance of ANKA unmanned aerial vehicles, Kazinform reports, citing Akorda.

The document was signed on May 14 in Astana during the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Kazakhstan and his talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The agreement was among 13 documents signed following a meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between the two countries. The package also included agreements in investment, education, energy, and media sectors.

Details of the drone project — including investment volume, production site, and implementation timeline — have not yet been disclosed. However, earlier in 2022, Kazakh authorities announced plans to organize assembly and technical maintenance of ANKA attack drones through a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Engineering, with technology transfer and specialist training for the country’s armed forces, according to Fergana news outlet.

The ANKA drones are produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries. Kazakhstan could become the first overseas production base for the system. The cooperation reportedly includes joint production, maintenance, repair, and technology transfer.

ANKA is a reconnaissance-strike drone capable of carrying up to 350 kilograms of payload, remaining airborne for up to 30 hours, and operating at altitudes of up to 9,000 meters.

During the visit, Tokayev and Erdoğan also signed a Declaration of Eternal Friendship and Expanded Strategic Partnership between Kazakhstan and Turkiye.

Turkish media, including Anadolu Agency, reported that Erdoğan emphasized strengthening cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States and described the coming period as the “century of the Turkic world.”

President Tokayev also awarded Erdoğan the Order of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, making him the first recipient of this state decoration of Kazakhstan.