Statements by Turkish officials following the large-scale EFES-2026 exercises have shed light on the substance of military dialogue between Ankara and Tashkent, including an April meeting between Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkish Chief of the General Staff Metin Gürak. According to the Turkish publication Sabah, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said Ankara has deployed a military advisory group to Uzbekistan to support armed forces reform.
Güler noted that “friendly and brotherly countries” are interested in building military structures based on the Turkish model, with Uzbekistan among them. He confirmed that a team of military advisers has been sent to the country, similar to a previous deployment in Azerbaijan.
These remarks clarify the previously undisclosed details of talks held in Tashkent on April 23, 2026. Gürak’s visit appears to have focused on implementing earlier defense agreements. In January 2026, the defense ministers of Uzbekistan and Turkey signed a cooperation plan covering joint exercises, personnel training, and the development of military medical ties.
The model Turkey is now applying in Uzbekistan was first tested in Azerbaijan, where defense cooperation became systemic after the 2021 Shusha Declaration. The agreement formalized allied relations, including elements of military integration and mutual support commitments. Under this framework, Baku modernized its armed forces along Turkish lines, expanded joint drills, and deepened defense industry cooperation, including the use of Bayraktar drones.
The extension of this model to Uzbekistan highlights Ankara’s ambition to expand its influence in Central Asia and position itself as a leading exporter of military technology, organizational frameworks, and defense standards across the Turkic world.
