More than 1,800 global leaders, policymakers gather at Abu Dhabi Defense Conference – News

Idex and Navdex Featured on International Defense Events Calendar

Naval ships have arrived at Adnec Marina, Abu Dhabi’s exhibition center which will host Idex and Navdex from Monday. More than 1,800 global leaders and decision makers will gather for the International Defense Conference at the Adnock Business Center on Sunday, ahead of the long-awaited double show.

The biennial International Defense Exhibition (Idex) will be celebrating its 30th anniversary since it was first held in 1993, and the 12th anniversary of the Naval Defense and Maritime Security Exhibition (Navdex) since 2011.

Held under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the two exhibitions feature prominently in the calendar of international defense events.

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowadi, Minister of State for Defense Affairs, emphasized that the UAE has become a successful and inspiring example of excellence and leadership in various fields and sectors, especially in the field of defence, where it has achieved qualitative success.

“These exhibitions are two of the largest and most important defense events in the world, showcasing the latest military products, innovations, equipment and technologies in the land, sea and air,” Al Bowardi noted.

Faisal Al Bannai, chairman of EDGE Group, said that for three decades, Idex had mirrored developments in the UAE as a “watchful eye” on the defense sector.

At the same time, the first batch of seven ships of different sizes and purposes have arrived at the Adenik Wharf. Commodore Rashid Al-Muhaisni, Chairman of the Navdex 2023 Organizing Committee said, “This year’s Navdex will see the participation of naval vessels from eight countries, including Pakistan, Bahrain, United Kingdom, Italy, China, India, and the United Arab Emirates.”

Meanwhile, the defense conference is expected to be attended by a large number of leaders and officials from regional and international defense and security companies.

Opened by Al Bowardi, the conference will be titled “Adapt, Explore, Transform: Reimagining Security, Society, and the Human Experience in an Era of Disruption.”

It will include four panel discussions covering the social and economic impacts and risks of widespread adoption of new technologies, talent development and human capital management, and the impact of emerging technologies on modern operations and future warfare.

More than 17 speakers will be in attendance, including defense sector leaders, ministers and senior officials from around the world.

While the conference will take place at the ADNOC Business Centre, the five-day exhibition starting Monday will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).