According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), Türkiye recorded an impressive trade volume of 126.6 billion dollars with D8 member countries between 2020 and 2024. Of this, 60.7 billion dollars came from Türkiye’s exports, while imports totaled 65.9 billion dollars.
Egypt emerged as Türkiye’s largest D8 trade partner during this period, with exports reaching 19.7 billion dollars and imports totaling 14.5 billion dollars — pushing bilateral trade to 34.3 billion dollars. Türkiye also maintained a positive trade balance with Iran, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Nigeria.
In just the first four months of 2025, Türkiye exported goods worth 4.1 billion dollars to D8 countries and imported 5.4 billion dollars, bringing the total trade volume to 9.5 billion dollars for January through April.
What is the D8 and why does it matter?
The D8 (Developing Eight) is an organization founded in 1997 in Istanbul at Türkiye’s initiative, aiming to strengthen economic cooperation among eight developing Muslim-majority countries. Its members include Türkiye, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and, since 2024, Azerbaijan, which formally joined during the summit in Cairo.
The D8 was established to promote increased trade and investment among its members, foster industrial and technological collaboration, develop transport infrastructure, and ease barriers to mutual exports. For Türkiye, it serves as a strategic platform to expand ties across Asia and Africa and to promote local industries and technologies into these regions.
Strategic partnerships and focus sectors
Recent agreements highlight deepening cooperation between Türkiye and D8 countries. Last year, Türkiye and Egypt signed 17 memoranda of understanding covering railways, agriculture, healthcare, and energy. In early 2025, Turkish defense and IT company HAVELSAN agreed with Egypt’s Kadir Factory to produce unmanned ground vehicles locally with Turkish technology and licensing.
With Indonesia, Türkiye secured a major deal for the supply of 48 KAAN fighter jets manufactured by TUSAŞ, with production involving local Indonesian capabilities. The two countries also signed a memorandum to cooperate in disaster and emergency management.
In energy, Türkiye and Iran implemented a swap agreement for transporting Turkmen gas via Iran to Türkiye, further cementing Türkiye’s role as a crucial energy corridor. Meanwhile, early 2025 saw approval of a new deal with Azerbaijan to facilitate the transportation and sale of natural gas, including transits from third countries.
Why does this matter for international businesses?
For businesses across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, Türkiye’s expanding partnerships through the D8 create new opportunities. Türkiye is not just a large consumer market and manufacturing base; it increasingly serves as a strategic hub and gateway to D8 markets — which together represent substantial demand for industrial goods, construction materials, agricultural products, engineering, and digital services.
As integration within the D8 deepens, trade barriers are expected to decrease further and new incentives for mutual investments may emerge, providing fresh avenues for cross-border partnerships.
