Croatian Orqa and Barzan Holdings Sign MoU on Potential Drone Manufacturing in Qatar
Croatian drone manufacturer Orqa has signed a memorandum of understanding with Qatar’s Barzan Holdings during DIMDEX in Doha. The agreement explores localized drone manufacturing as part of Orqa’s global production scaling strategy.
Croatian unmanned systems manufacturer Orqa has formalized a memorandum of understanding with Barzan Holdings, Qatar’s state-backed defense and security group, to examine cooperation on localized drone manufacturing. The MoU was signed on the sidelines of DIMDEX Qatar, one of the region’s principal defense exhibitions.
According to the companies, the agreement is linked to Orqa’s Global Manufacturing Partnership Program, an international initiative aimed at expanding production capacity beyond one million drones annually. The framework foresees potential manufacturing activities in Qatar, which would extend Orqa’s industrial footprint while supporting Barzan Holdings’ mandate to develop domestic defense capabilities.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior Croatian and Qatari officials, including Croatian Minister of Defense Ivan Anušić and Croatia’s ambassador to Qatar Drago Lovrić. Qatari representation included Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State for Defense Affairs, and Chairman of Barzan Holdings Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani.
While no production timelines or contract values were disclosed, the MoU signals growing industrial ties between Croatian defense manufacturers and Gulf-region partners. For Orqa, the initiative aligns with broader efforts by European drone producers to diversify manufacturing locations and strengthen supply resilience. For Qatar, the potential cooperation fits within ongoing programs to expand sovereign defense-industrial capacity through international partnerships.
