Türkiye’s trade with fellow members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) increased by 6.6% year-on-year to $10.1 billion in the first seven months of 2026, according to the Turkish Trade Ministry.

The ministry said trade between Türkiye and other OTS member states has grown nearly 20-fold since 2002, rising from $871 million to $16.9 billion by the end of 2025, The Caspian Post reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

Kazakhstan was Türkiye’s largest trading partner among OTS members in 2025, with bilateral trade reaching $7.8 billion. It was followed by Azerbaijan with $4.3 billion, Uzbekistan with $3.1 billion and Kyrgyzstan with $1.6 billion.

Trade between Türkiye and the OTS observer countries - Turkmenistan, Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus - grew 6.8% in 2025 to $10 billion.

During January-July 2026, trade with these observer countries increased 5.1% year-on-year to $6.1 billion.

As a result, Türkiye’s annualized trade with OTS member and observer countries reached $27.8 billion as of July, the ministry said.

Established in 2009, the OTS adopted its current name at the Istanbul Summit in 2021. Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are full members, while Turkmenistan, Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have observer status.

The ministry noted that the eastward shift in global production and trade over the past 25 years has increased the strategic importance of the Turkic region in international trade and logistics networks.

It also highlighted the potential of the Trans-Caspian East-West-Middle Corridor, known as the Middle Corridor, to further strengthen economic integration across the Turkic world.

“We will continue with determination to strengthen economic and commercial integration within the Organization of Turkic States, make the most effective use of the Middle Corridor’s strategic advantages and further reinforce the Turkic world’s position in global trade,” the ministry said.