Domestic and international defence companies will descend on Abu Dhabi on Monday for the Middle East’s largest defence expo, to showcase the latest in advanced technological products amid geopolitical threats, conflicts and rising tensions worldwide.
The International Defence Exhibition (Idex), and Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (Navdex), will take place in the UAE capital from February 17-21, with the biennial event's largest expo yet, organisers said.
More than 150,000 visitors are expected through the doors during the week-long event, where more than 1,565 exhibitors from around the world will be in attendance. Featuring 41 country pavilions across more than 180,000 square metres of exhibition space, Idex will gather decision-makers, industry leaders and top companies to explore the future of maritime defence and security.
“This edition will feature 41 national pavilions, with the UAE pavilion being the largest at 25,000 square metres, a 4 per cent increase from the previous edition. The number of national companies has reached 213, making up 16 per cent of exhibitors, while international companies constitute 84 per cent,“ Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, managing director and group chief executive of Adnec Group, said.
Seven new countries, including Qatar, Ethiopia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Cyprus are participating this year. Additionally, a dedicated platform, with participation from 38 companies across 13 countries, has been introduced to raise awareness of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats.
More than 3,300 products and technologies will be displayed at the event. The exhibitions will also host more than 156 start-ups, accounting for 10 per cent of total exhibitors.
Emirati defence conglomerate Edge, alongside major international companies such as Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Saab and Thales will be participating in this year's event.
“Idex is a key opportunity to engage with partners across the region and showcase how our advanced defence solutions can support the country’s security and aerospace ambitions,” said Kuljit Ghata-Aura, president of Boeing Middle East, Turkey, Africa, and Central Asia. “We look forward to ... further contributing to the growing domestic defence industrial base.”
Navdex will feature a display of naval fleets from countries such as the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Pakistan, Greece, South Korea and India.
The event will feature the launch of several warships for the UAE Armed Forces, with the participation of 21 vessels from allied nations, including newly manufactured ships that highlight the advanced technology of the Emirati defence industry, organisers said.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are developing their military production capabilities to reduce their reliance on foreign suppliers. The move is intended to diversify economies from oil, encourage domestic manufacturing and create more jobs. It will also boost sectors such as maintenance and repair operations where local capabilities exist.
The world's top arms producers have recorded a rise in revenue on the back of several wars and rising regional tension.
Revenue from the sales of arms and military services by the 100 largest companies in the industry reached $632 billion in 2023, an increase of 4.2 per cent on 2022, according to data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) released in December 2024.
"Arms revenue increases were seen in all regions, with particularly sharp rises among companies based in Russia and the Middle East," Sipri said in its report. "Overall, smaller producers were more efficient at responding to new demand linked to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, growing tension in East Asia and rearmament programmes elsewhere."
Six of the top 100 arms companies were based in the Middle East, with their combined arms revenue growing by 18 per cent to $19.6 billion, the data showed.
"The biggest Middle Eastern arms producers in the Top 100 saw their arms revenue reach unprecedented heights in 2023 and the growth looks set to continue," said Diego Lopes da Silva, senior researcher with the Sipri Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
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Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
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Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
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The Bio
Ram Buxani earned a salary of 125 rupees per month in 1959
Indian currency was then legal tender in the Trucial States.
He received the wages plus food, accommodation, a haircut and cinema ticket twice a month and actuals for shaving and laundry expenses
Buxani followed in his father’s footsteps when he applied for a job overseas
His father Jivat Ram worked in general merchandize store in Gibraltar and the Canary Islands in the early 1930s
Buxani grew the UAE business over several sectors from retail to financial services but is attached to the original textile business
He talks in detail about natural fibres, the texture of cloth, mirrorwork and embroidery
Buxani lives by a simple philosophy – do good to all
West Indies v England ODI series:
West Indies squad: Jason Holder (c), Fabian Allen, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Oshane Thomas.
Fixtures:
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2nd ODI - February 22, Bridgetown
3rd ODI - February 25, St George's
4th ODI - February 27, St George's
5th ODI - March 2, Gros Islet
MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
