UAE's IDEX weapons fair brings in Russia, China, and billion-dollar deals
The United Arab Emirates’ defense expenditure amounted to $22.5 billion last year and is expected to reach $28.6 billion by 2027.
DUBAI — Abu Dhabi’s biennial weapons exhibition generated billions of dollars in military product and technology agreements after the fifth and final day of the event on Friday, which saw both political allies and rivals showcasing their offerings in the neutral-standing UAE capital marketplace.
About $5.46 billion in total deals were signed during the first four days of the International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) and the Naval Defense Exhibition (NAVDEX) in 2023, according to the UAE’s government news agency WAM.
Over 1,300 exhibitors from 65 countries attended the Middle East and North Africa’s largest military expo, which has been welcoming a growing number of participants for 30 years.
Raking in the bulk of the deals at $5 billion by the end of the event was UAE state-owned military weaponry and related technologies conglomerate EDGE Group, also a strategic partner of the event.
