UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM DEFENSE MINISTER, NO CHANGES IN HEADER, DECK OR LEDE
By Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - A four-day multi-national arms exhibition kicked off Tuesday in Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi, with Türkiye the biggest participant.
The International Defense Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS 2024) is one of Pakistan's biennial mega-regional events, held amid heightened security.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif inaugurated the fair, hoping to boost the country's defense industry.
Pakistan’s defense industry, he added, is booming, and public and private sectors can play a role to further contribute to its growth.
IDEAS 2024, which marks the 12th edition of the exhibition, is hosting exhibitors and delegates from 55 countries, including the US, Russia, China, Iran, Italy, the UK, and Azerbaijan.
Some 560 defense manufacturers, 333 of them international, will be showcasing their defense and military products.
Iran and Italy are participating in the arms fair for the first time.
Pakistan is primarily showcasing its domestically produced Haider Main Battle Tank (MBT) and new medium-altitude long-endurance Shahpar III drone, aside from Al-Khalid and Al-Zarrar tanks and the latest model of the Super Mushshak Aircraft.
Developed through a collaboration between Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) of Pakistan and the Chinese state company NORINCO, the Haider tank was unveiled in March this year.
An International Seminar on Pakistan Defense Production Potential – Challenges, Opportunities, and Way Forward will also be held on day three of the exhibition. Renowned national and international experts will present their scholarly papers on the topic, said a statement.
One of the new additions will be the startups pavilion established by the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan Navy Maritime Science and Technology Park and National Aerospace and Technology Park in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the defense sector, with a view to give international exposure to the country’s young entrepreneurs.
Türkiye this year has the largest participation in the fair, followed by China, according to the organizers.
Some 75 exhibitors and delegations, which make up the largest contingent, are participating in the event, representing all major Turkish defense manufacturers including STM (Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.S), Roketsan, Meteksan, ASFAT, Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi, Tualcom and Havelsan.
In 2022, 28 Turkish defense manufacturers exhibited their innovations at the fair.