UAE – The 2011 editions of the Abu Dhabi international defence exhibitions Idex and Navdex have won the support of more than 200 defence companies from the Arab nations.
The shows, organised by Clarion Events on behalf of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), run in parallel from 20 to 24 February at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. This year they are believed to be benefitting from the increased defence expenditure across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
Idex 2011 show director Mohamed Al Mashgouni said he sees an emerging role for Arab nations in the defence sector. “While this region is still investing heavily on importing technologies, the manufacturing and supply capabilities in the region have also ramped up in the last few years,” he said.
“In line with this, nearly 10 per cent of our exhibitors at this edition are from the region - providing a strong backdrop for this year’s show. Exhibitors from the Arab world will be among the ones to watch this year."
This year the GCC and Jordan defence budget will hit US$68bn this year, growing to around $80bn by 2015, according to recent research by Frost & Sullivan.
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