IDEX and NAVDEX Pavilion at Eurosatory 2016 Attracts Key Decision Makers in Global Defence Industry

Testimony to Abu Dhabi’s Growing Reputation as Preferred Destination for Specialized Defence Events.

Paris-France: 16 June, 2016 - The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) pavilion showcasing the International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) and the Naval Defence Exhibition (NAVDEX) has drawn high interest from key exhibitors and decision makers in the global defence industry at the Eurosatory 2016 currently underway in the French capital Paris. 

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, IDEX and NAVDEX are among the largest defence exhibitions in the world. The biennial arms and defence show is set to run at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 19 to 23 February, 2017.

ADNEC’s participation in Eurosatory, the world's largest international land and air-land defence and security exhibition, articulates its ongoing efforts to promote the 2017 edition of IDEX and NAVDEX. As part of this priority, ADNEC’s outing at Eurosatory is designed to showcase the unique opportunities created by the definitive events to major players in the global defence industry.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Acting Group CEO of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, said: "Our participation in Eurosatory 2016 offers a crucial opportunity to explore latest developments in the global defence sector. This supports our efforts to enhance the competitiveness of our events and attract the participation of a larger number international companies and industry professionals.

“The high interest shown by top global arms-producing and military services companies to attend the upcoming editions of IDEX and NAVDEX validates the growing reputation of Abu Dhabi as a preferred destination for specialized industry events. Both shows have already created a niche in the defence industry as must-attend platforms to engage with global defence manufacturers and decision makers.”

He added: “ADNEC has emerged as an important driver of economic growth in Abu Dhabi through its consistent support to the emirate’s burgeoning business tourism industry, one of the key focus areas of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 for achieving economic diversification. This is evidenced by the significant economic value created by ADNEC through its direct and indirect support to several sectors such as transport and tourism, among others.”

For his part, Saeed Al Mansouri, Director of IDEX, said: “We are delighted with the high footfall registered by IDEX and NAVDEX pavilions at Eurosatory 2016 from both existing and new exhibitors. The decision to delink IDEX from UMEX that was held as a standalone event for the first time in March 2016 has been a welcome move for many of our clients. This will enable us to allocate additional space to meet their increasing demand and evolving requirements.”

“In addition to our ongoing efforts to promote IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017 among potential participants of international exhibitions, preparations are in full swing for the highly anticipated editions of the shows that are expected to witness the announcement of major deals between the suppliers and producers of defense equipment,” Al Mansouri added. 

As the leading defence and maritime events for the region, the previous edition of IDEX 2015 attracted over 1,200 local and international defence manufacturers and contractors along with more than 101,000 visitors from across the world. The event also facilitated business deals worth AED17.9 billion in its latest editions, further cementing its status as the most strategically important tri-service defence exhibition in the world.