Navigating the Straits: Turkey's Economic Journey and Strategic Ambitions Turkey's economy is currently undergoing a crucial period of transition, moving towards more orthodox macroeconomic policies to tackle its long-standing challenges of high inflation and currency volatility. After a turbulent two decades marked by both impressive growth spurts and recurring crises, the current government has embarked on a stabilization program featuring aggressive interest rate hikes and fiscal tightening. While this shift is showing early signs of success in bringing down inflation and narrowing the current account deficit, it comes at the cost of slower GDP growth in the near term. Beyond these immediate economic adjustments, Turkey faces the long-term structural challenges of an aging population, productivity concerns, and a persistent reliance on external financing. Simultaneously, its burgeoning defense industry is emerging as a significant pathway for both economic diversification ...