Malaysia receives commitments of around $4 billion at country’s defense fair: Prime minister

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Wednesday that the Langwai International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 2023) has achieved commercial commitments of up to $4 billion.

“This adds value to the business, especially involving the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Transport and other industry players,” Ibrahim wrote on Twitter.

He said there is “great hope” that LIMA will further “strengthen” Malaysia's position as a regional hub for Malaysia’s aerospace and maritime industry.

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) crown prince Khaled bin Mohamed prince was welcomed to the fair by Malaysia's foreign and defense ministers.

Malaysia and the UAE will “continue to maintain and deepen our cooperation, including in defence and security sectors,” the Foreign Ministry wrote on Twitter.

The purpose of the fair is to transform the perception of LIMA, turning it from a purely defense-oriented exhibition into a more inclusive event that embraces the civilian and commercial sectors, said Transport Minister YB Tuan Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

Turkish defense companies are also attending LIMA 2023, showing their latest wares in Malaysia, including armored vehicles and drones.

By exhibiting at the fair, the firms hope to develop and deepen cooperation between Türkiye and defense industries from other nations.

Various Turkish companies including ASELSAN and ROKETSAN, in addition to the Turkish Aerospace Industries, will introduce products and services, including unarmed aerial vehicles (UAV) at the fair that will run through the weekend.