KARACHI: Pakistan’s International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) is a mega international event having a centre stage in our defence diplomacy. It is a display of our resolve that Pakistan is a modern, progressive and tolerant state that is willing to co-exist peacefully with the international community.
This was stated by Major General Arif Malik, HI (M) Director General Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) in an exclusive talk with Daily Business Recorder here.
He said that the purpose of establishing Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) was to promote defence exports and the country has witnessed significant growth in defence exports since year 2000.
Commenting on the functionality of the DEPO, he said that the DEPO provides a platform to our local defence industry to showcase their products in different exhibitions across the globe with an aim to boost defence exports of the country and organized IDEAS to give an opportunity to the foreign exhibitors, public & private sectors to exhibit their latest defence weapons.
Answering a question, he said: “foreign exhibitors bring the latest defence technologies in the exhibition, creating learning opportunities for us to strengthen our defence industry and to boost defence exports through joint ventures.”
This time, 106 countries have been invited and majority of them confirmed the participation of their high-profile delegations in IDEAS 2022. Austria and Romania are participating in the exhibition for the first time, DG DEPO informed.
Record number of international and local companies will exhibit defence equipment in the IDEAS 2022 as compared to the past, he said.
He said that the international defence seminar is being held on the topic of ‘Artificial Intelligence in Defence Market’ that would surely serve as a stimulant and help in bringing paradigm shift in our defence industry.
The seminars will be attended by ministers, high-ranking officials from defence ministries, armed forces, defence technology organizations, academia, research & training institutes, and defence analysts.
We have invited research papers from all universities, he said and added that six research papers were short-listed, which would be presented in the seminar.
Expressing his gratitude to the international community, Major General Arif Malik, HI, (M) further said that we are very satisfied to see such an overwhelming response from the international community. Moreover, confirmation of high power delegations and the participation of international companies is an acknowledgment of Pakistan’s position in the global community.
In response to a question, he said: “Some new defence equipment and technologies are being exhibited in IDEAS 2022, which will be inaugurated by PM, Army Chief, and defence minister. These technologies will demonstrate our prowess in defence market.
Furthermore, he said that IDEAS 2022 has a special eminence because the event is coinciding with the diamond jubilee year of Pakistan which makes the event even more prominent. The same is duly depicted in IDEAS logo.
The successful conduct of all editions of IDEAS is attributed to the overwhelming support of government departments, the Armed Forces of Pakistan, the public/ private defence industry, trade bodies, and mainly the people of Karachi, he concluded.
The IDEAS, an unmatched defence industry show, has become the region’s best platform for international defence systems, promotion, and procurement.
It is also one of the finest meeting points of the world defence industry for demonstrating, selling, joint venturing, outsourcing, and technological collaboration in the Asian defence market.
IDEAS showcases a wide range of modern and conventional defence equipment, weapon systems, and vehicles. It provides a perfect interactive platform for defence forces and governments to assess the best products and technology to meet their defence and security-related needs.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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