The Qatari path to defence localisation: strategic imperatives and the Turkish partnership

Abstract

The 2017 blockade on Qatar profoundly reshaped its security strategy, motivating a shift from soft power and arms procurement to indigenous defence industry development. This article explores how Qatar attempts to localise its defence industry despite limitations. Drawing on secondary literature, defence industry data and expert interviews, this study situates Qatar’s defence indigenisation within the small-state security and politics and economics of defence industrialisation literature. The paper argues that rather than seeking full defence autarky, Qatar needs to collaborate with companies from first – or second-tier countries, particularly Turkey. The paper suggests a hybrid localisation model with strategic commitment to dual-use innovation and niche sector development in conjunction with Turkey and argues for an integration of civilian and military R&D through a Military–Civil Fusion (MCF) approach. The study contributes to Gulf security literature by offering a theory-informed explanation of how small states seek strategic autonomy through defence-industrial partnerships. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.